[1] gram-negative, aerobic, non-spore forming, rod-shaped bacterium of the family Rhizobiaceae.

[5] Biovars has been shown to induce nodule formation in a wide variety of symbiosis competent plant species including Medicago Sativa(cultivated alfalfa)[6], Lotus creticus[3], Syrian mesquite(Prosopis farcta),[7] Lens culinaris Medikus ssp(lentils)[3][8] as well as Cicer arietinum(chickpea)[3] and Argyrolobium uniflorum.

[3] Laboratory inoculation has shown Ensifer numidicus engages in indeterminate nodulation with host plants in at least some circumstances.

[1] Laboratory cultivated strains have found metabolism of at least 13 substrates including dulcitol, D-lyxose, 1-O-methyl a-D-glucopyranoside, 3-O-methyl-D-glucopyranose, D-gluconate, L-histidine, succinate, fumarate, ethanolamine, DL-b-hydroxybutyrate, L-aspartate, L-alanine and propionate.

[3] Due to similarities to other Ensifer species, it cannot be described by growth conditions alone and must be differentiated by genetic components.