A systematic comparison of morphology and seed proteins of early- and late-flowering forms of Medicago scutellata
Two hundred and thirty-nine germ plasm accessions of Medicago scutellata grown under greenhouse conditions exhibited a strongly bimodal distribution of flowering time. Numerical taxonomic analysis showed that the early- and late-flowering forms are substantially different morphologically. The early-flowering form is smaller and less vigorous, has fewer flowers in the inflorescence, and fewer serrations on the leaf blades and stipules than the late-flowering form. Analysis of seed proteins using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis identified 11 seed proteins that can be used to distinguish the two forms and putative hybrids. Although both forms appear widespread in the circum-Mediterranean indigenous distribution area, only about one-third of the accessions represented the early-flowering form, which seemed to predominate only on isolated Mediterranean islands. The two forms may merit infraspecific taxonomic recognition. Key words: Medicago scutellata, Fabaceae, taxonomy, classification, systematics, seed proteins, electrophoresis, flowering time.