Medicago × varia

Μηδική x ποικίλη

Etymology of Medicago x varia: The term "Medicago" derives from "Μήδια" [Media], a historical geographic area occupied by the Medi that occupied a large part of today’s central and western Iran south of the Caspian Sea, the territory from which the ancient Greeks thought the plant originated; from this derived the Ancient Greek word for plant "μηδική" [medice], meaning "of Media". Latinized "Medicago" became as such from "medica" + the suffix "-ago", as in "Plantago". "Varia" is Latin and it means "variegated, coloured, diverse", as this plant can be seen with yellow, purple or blue flowers.

There are at least 25 taxa, 24 species and one hybrid in the wild Cypriot habitat (plus another domesticated one), of which one species appears exclusively in the occupied north. Another one's existence is questionable.

Medicago x varia is not an endemic plant, it is naturalized and invasive. Medicago x varia is a common plant in the Troodos Mountains range and less in southern areas. It is quite popular in Fylagra, Kato Amiantos and Kato Platres (Lemesos). It appears at an altitude between 90–1925 metres (not at a minimum of 850 as it is believed, as I have spotted it on a roadside in Ypsonas) and its flowering period is between May and July. 

How to identify Medicago x varia:

Medicago x varia is similar to Medicago sativa and it's extremely challenging to distinguish the one from the other; primarily the pod and then the flower's color could give the answer. Medicago sativa has a coiled pod 1.5-3.5 times and flowers violet or purple. On the other hand, Medicago x varia has a falcate-circinnate, or coiled pod 1-1.5 times, and its flowers can be yellow, violet, purple, greenish or whitish.