[Taxacom] Melilotus albus and officinalis

[Alec McClay]

Melilotus albus Medik. is listed as a synonym of Melilotus 
officinalis (L.) Lam. in the USDA Plants database, but most other 
listings that I can find (e.g. ILDIS and the Flora Europaea) maintain 
them as separate species. I can't find any publication that 
officially synonymized these species. Does anyone know why PLANTS 
would have synonymized them, or if there is any biological 
justification for doing so?

Alec McClay, Ph.D.

McClay Ecoscience
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Biological control, invasive species, insect-plant ecology