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Medicago trunculata, or barrel clover, is a small annual plant in the legume family (Fabaceae) that serves as a model organism for the study of symbiosis with nitrogen-fixing bacteria and fungi due to its simple genome, rapid life cycle and ease of genetic manipulation.
Leaf development follows a common principle but is also flexibly tuned in different species in a spatiotemporal manner. A novel regulatory mechanism controlling leaflet formation has been identified in Medicago.