Medicago scutellata
Snail medick
(c) Roland Godon, some rights reserved (CC BY) · licence
Family: Fabaceae · Type: Herb · Not Native
Medicago scutellata (Snail medick) is a non-native California herb in the Fabaceae family, recognized by limited range, overlapping coils without prickles diagnostic.
Snail medick is a naturalized annual found in southern Coastal Ranges in disturbed areas and roadsides at elevations below 300 meters. Flowering from March to June, this plant produces yellow to orange-yellow flowers in small clusters of 1 to 3 blooms. Growing with prostrate to decumbent stems 20 to 60 centimeters long that are hairy or glandular-hairy, it spreads across the ground in a loose, sprawling form. Its leaves have three leaflets 10 to 15 millimeters long, each obovate to elliptic in shape, with stipules that are ovate and slightly toothed near the base. The distinctive fruit forms a tightly coiled pod with 4 to 8 turns, creating a snail-like shape that gives the plant its common name.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 6 sympatric species; limited range, overlapping coils without prickles diagnostic
Habitat and range
Habitat: Uncommon. Disturbed areas, roadsides
Elevation: < 300 m
Outside California: native to southern Europe, northwestern Africa
Bloom period
Medicago scutellata blooms Mar-Jun.
How to tell it apart
vs Melilotus: Medicago fruits are spirally coiled; Melilotus fruits are small egg-shaped pods with transverse ridges.; vs Trifolium: Medicago flowers fall off; Trifolium flowers persist and enclose the fruit in papery covering.; vs Oxalis: Medicago has pea-shaped flowers and coiled fruits; wood-sorrels (Oxalis) have 5-petaled flowers and upright capsules.; vs Acmispon: Medicago has toothed leaflets and coiled fruits; Acmispon has smooth-edged leaflets and straight pods.; vs Vicia: Medicago has coiled prickly fruits; vetches (Vicia) have flat straight pods and tendrils.
Frequently asked questions
Is Medicago scutellata native to California?
No. Medicago scutellata is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Medicago scutellata bloom?
Medicago scutellata blooms Mar-Jun.
What plant family does Medicago scutellata belong to?
Medicago scutellata is in the Fabaceae family, genus Medicago.
What habitat does Medicago scutellata grow in?
Medicago scutellata grows in Uncommon. Disturbed areas, roadsides.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.