ashvakshura :

Taxonomical Classification

Kingdom: Plantae - Plants
Superdivision: Spermatophyta - Seed plants
Order: Fabales
Family: Fabaceae
Genus: Medicago
Species: Medicago sativa

Allied species:

Beside alfalfa itself, which is perennial, there are three annual species that have been introduced into AmericaMedicago lupulina (Yellow Trefoil, Hop Clover or Hop Medic), Medicago denticulata (Bur Clover or Toothed Medic), and Medicago Arabica, also called Bur, Heart or Spotted Clover or Spotted Medic. All of these three species have some local and restricted forage value, and in places they are cultivated as forage plants; but the fact that they are not perennial plants renders them at once and for this reason inferior to Medicago sativa.

VERNACULAR NAMES

Sanskrit: अश्वाबला ashvabala asva, asvaksura, methika
English: alfalfa , bastard medic, buffal herb, lucerne, purple medic, sand lucerne
Hindi: लुसन घास lusan ghas , Rizka
Marathi: विलायती गवत vilayati gavat , lasun-ghas, lujen
Oriya: ਦੁਰੇਸ਼ਤਾ dureshta, ਸਿੰਝੀ sinjhi
Gujarathi: વિલાયતી ઘાસ vilayati ghas
Tamil: குதிரை மசால் kutirai macal
Kannada: ಲುಸರ್ನೆ ಸೊಪ್ಪು lusarne soppu, ವಿಲಾಯಿತಿ ಹುಲ್ಲು vilaayiti hullu , kudure masaale, kudure masaale soppu, kudure soppu, loosaran
Punjabi: ਦੁਰੇਸ਼ਤਾ dureshta, ਸਿੰਝੀ sinjhi
Arabic: alfafa, alfalfa, alfasafat, fisfisat
Spanish: alfalfa de las arenas, alfalfa híbrida
French: luzerne bigarrée, luzerne intermédiaire
German: bastardluzerne, sandluzerne
Persian: isfist

Varities:

The alfalfa varieties grown in Manitoba fall into two categories - Variegated or Flemish.

Variegated alfalfas (Medicago media) are derived from crosses between M. sativa (purple flowered) and M. falcata (yellow flowered) alfalfa. Their flowers range in color and can be purple, blue, yellow or white. The most cold-tolerant varieties grown in Manitoba are variegated. These have been bred to combine winterhardiness and drought tolerance with good yield and satisfactory regrowth.

Flemish type alfalfa (M. sativa) originated in northern France. They have purple flowers and are early growing, quick to recover after cutting and moderately winterhardy. Flemish alfalfas usually mature two to five days earlier than Vernal (a variegated type) and should be harvested several days earlier than variegated types to maintain quality.

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