中文摘要：

由于蒺藜苜蓿具有高的遗传转化效率、生长期短、染色体组为2×8、基因组小、白花授粉、固氮等特点，使它成为豆科生物学和基因组学研究的模式植物。本研究描述了蒺藜苜蓿的形态特征，介绍了苜蓿属植物的系统关系及蒺藜苜蓿的分类学地位，概述了蒺藜苜蓿遗传图谱构建和基因组学研究的进展。

英文摘要：

Medicago truncatula has become a useful model plant for biology and genome of Legumes, since it has a small diploid genome （2 × 8）, rapid reproductive cycle, autogamous fertilization, nitrogen-fixing, and ease of transformation. In this paper, the morphologic traits of M. truncatula are described and the phylogenetic relationships among annual M. spp. in relation to taxonomic classification are presented. The advances of studi es on genetic mapping and genome of M. truncatula are reviewed.