Onobrychis viciaefolia
Other names
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Common names: Sainfoin, Esparsette, Cock’s Head, Aniarsexe, Aniassexie.
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Latin names: Onobrychis foliis, O. vicia, O. fructu, O. echinato, O. major, O. caule, Hedysarum onobrychis, H. foliis.
Description
Morphology
Perennial legume, from 40 to 80 cm with very developed taproots. The stems are almost upright, cylindrical, smooth and full. The leaves are odd-pinnate with 6-12 pairs of long and mucronate leaflets, pubescent in their lower part. The inflorescence is a cluster on top of an elongated peduncle, containing 40 to 60 pink flowers with short pedicels. The non-dehiscent oval pods are adorned with spiny ridges and contain one brownish seed. This is a cross-pollinating, entomiphilous and tetraploid species (2n=4x=28).
Geography
Culture
Chemical Composition
| In % | Water | Nitrogen | Fat | Soluble carbohydrates | Fibrous carbohydrates | Ashes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forage: green | ||||||
| Forage: hay |
Usage
Benefits
- Reserved for short-term grasslands (1-3 years)
- Strong production in spring
- High protein content
- No bloating as it produces condensed tannins
- Tolerance to heat and calcareous soils
Limitations
- Low durability
- Not adapted to heavy, acid and excessively humid soils
Techniques
| Seedlings | Period | Spacing | Depth | Amount sown | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| In rows | – cm | – cm | – kg/ha |
| In q/ha | In green | In hay | In grain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yield | 0-0 | 0-0 | – |