length ^ f thTo there. ° f the CalyX V6ry sll0rt- about ™e-thlrd the
lpnfl2p t ( Llndk) : prostrate or ascending, branched, glabrous;
, ng and obovate-cuneate; mucronate, spinuiose-serrate ; stipules
somewhat scanous, ovate, lacimate-toothed ; peduncles long ; involucre cva-
thiform (large), the border obtusely many-toothed, transversely rugose be-
tween the veins, somewhat shorter than the hemispherical many-flowered
head calyx oblong somewhat inflated, membranaceous; the teeth setace-
ously d-many-parted, as long as the corolla; legume dehiscent, 2-seeded.—
Lindl. bot reg. sub t. 1070 ; Hook. fl. Bor.-Am. 1 . p. 133, t. 50
S t™ t V l «168 ° t the, ° re§0o’ P ° u? !as ! R ooky Mountains, Nuttall / - © fetem 12-18 inches long. Stipules ovate, acuminate or obtuse. Involucre
ros™n?™Cv°“ -ll ah0Ur 9't0°thed- Heads comPact- Corolla very short, pale
^ d s t a ln e n - tu b ^ t e r WmgS Sh°Eter than lhe VexilIum: keel
§ 3. Heads not mvolucrate: legume coriaceous, globosef exserted, dehiscent
by the ventral suture— Chasmalobus, Nuit. mss.
^ y jn n o ^ a r p o n m u u .\ mss.): “ caespitose, mintitely pubescent;
caudex short and thick; leaves mostly radical; leaflets oval-oblong or elliptical
obtuse, serrate, nearly glabrous above; stipules scarious, oval ; flower-
mg stems very short, a httle leafy at the summit; peduncles about the length
of the petioles ; heads 5-6-flowered ; segments of the calyx subulate, as Ion«-
f e « h ' S y “ „b,” ’r' •!>« sflpe ab.u, ,h ,
“ Dry hills of the Rocky Mountain range, near the sources of the Sweet-
^ l t e / htteu May-Jone.— fl Plant 2-3 inches high; the caudex
thickly clothed with the vestiges of stipules. Leaflets 3-5 lines in length :
petioles rather long. Flowering stems scarcely exserted, with one or two
leaves and several peduncles aggregated at the summit, Flowers ochroleu-
cous: vexillum free, oblong. Legume about the size of a small pea. Seeds
largej one of them usually abortive.** Nuttall.
30. MELILOTUS. Tourn. inst. t. 229; Lam. ill. t. 613; W. & Am.
prodr. Ind Or. p. 196. .
Calyx tubular or campanulate, persistent, 5-toothed. Corolla deciduous:
Vexillum free, longer than the wings : keel-petals completely united, cohering
with the wings, free from the stamen-tube. Style terminal, filiform. Legumes
coriaceous, globose or ovoid, longer than the calyx, scarcely dehiscent,
1- few-seeded—Annual or perennial (odorous) herbs. Leaves pinnately
trifoliolate: leaflets mostly toothed; veins simple or forked. Stipules adnate
to the base of the petiole. Flowers in axillary somewhat spicate racemes
yellow or white.
1. M. officinalis (Willd.): stem erect, with spreading branches; leaflets
obovate-oblong, obtuse, remotely serrate; stipules setaceous; racemes rather
loose; teeth of the calyx unequal, as long as the tube ; corolla (yellow) more
han twice the length of the calyx; petals nearly equal in length; legumes
ovate, wrinkled, 2-seeded.— Willd. enum. p. 190; Ell. sk. 2. ». 199° DC
yirodr. 2. p. 186. M. officinalis a., Linn. M. vulgaris, E aton! man. ed 7
p . oyl.
Rich alluvial soils, Canada ! to Georgia. Introduced. June-Aug.—(T) Stem
2- 4 feet high. Racemes elongated, somewhat panicled.— Yellow Melilot.
2. M. leucantha (Koch): stem erect, branched; leaflets ovate-oblong, truncate
at the apex, mucronate, remotely serrate; stipules setaceous ; racemes
loose; teeth of the calyx unequal, as long as the tube ; corolla (white) more
than twice the length of the calyx, the keel and wings shorter than the vexillum;
legumes 2-seeded, ovate, wrinkled.—DC. 1. c. M. vulgaris, Willd.
enum. Lc. M. officinalis, Pursh, fl. 2. p. 477. M. officinalis /}. alba, Nutt,
gen. 2. p. 104. M. alba, Th u il.j Eaton, l. c. Trifolium officinale /?. Linn.
Rich soils, along rivers, New-York! and New England! Introduced. June-
Aug.—(2) DC. Stem 3-6 feet high. Racemes elongated, panicled.— White
Melilot.
3. M. parviflora (Desf.) : stem ascending or erect, with spreading branches
; leaflels of the lower leaves obovate-roundish and often nearly entire;
upper on’es cuneate-oblong or linear, truncate or emarginate, serrate; stipules
linear-setaceous • spikes at first dense, at length rather loose; flowers (yellow)
minute; teeth of the calyx broad, nearly equal, half the length of the corolla;
wings almost as long as the keel and vexillum; legumes globose-oVate, wrinkled,
2-seeded.—Desf. fl. A tl.2 .p . 192; DC. l.c .; Hook, compan. to bot.
mag. 1. p. 22. M. Indica, Smith.
, Near New Orleans, Dr. Ingalls! Drummond— ® Doubtless introduced.
4. M. occidentalis (Nutt, mss.): “ stem erect, tall; leaflets linear-oblong
or obovate, sharply serrate, truncate at the extremity; flowers (yellow) minute
; teeth of the calyx unequal, as long as the tube; vexillum as long as
the tube; legume 1- 2-seeded, ovate-orbicular, slightly wrinkled.”—M. parviflora?
Hook, cf- Am. bot. Beechey, p. 137?
“ Sides of naked hills near the, sea, California (also in Peru): apparently
indigenous. Very nearly allied to M. linearis.** Nuttall /—The description
seems to agree well with T. parviflora, except in the unequal calyx-teeth.
31. MEDlCAGO. L in n .; Geertn. f r . t. 155; DC. prodr. 2. p. 171.
Calyx somewhat cylindrical, 5-cleft. Keel of the corolla remote from the
vexillum. Legume Usually many-seeded, of Various forms, falcate or spirally
coiled.—Herbaceous, or rarely shrubby, plants. Stipules often incised. Leaves
palmately trifoliolate: leaflets Often toothed. Peduncles axillary, 1-2- or
many-flowered. Flowers yellow.—Medick.
1. M. sativa (Linn.) : stem erect, glabrous; leaflets obovate-oblong, toothed
above, mucronate; stipules lanceolate, somewhat toothed; flowers racemose;
legumes spirally twisted, finely reticulated. DC. prodr. 2. p. 173:
Eng. bot. t. 1479 ; Darlingt. fl. Cost. p. 405.
Fields and roadsides, New-York ! and Pennsylvania. Introduced. June-
July.—-fl Flowers conspicuous, Violet.—Lucerne.
2. M. maculata (Willd.) : stem prostrate; leaflets obcordate, toothed, spotted
; stipules toothed; peduncles 3—5-floWered; legumes compactly spiral,
furrowed on the margin and fringed with a double row of long curved spines;
seeds reniform, yellowish.—DC. prodr. 2. p. 179; Hook, compan. to bot.
mag. 1. p. 21.
Near New Orleans, Drummond! Red River, Louisiana, Dr. Hale! Introduced.—
Plant 1-2 feet high. Leaflets1 conspicuously toothed, marked
with a purple spot in the centre. Flowers small, purplish. Convolutions of
the legume 3-5.
3. M. denticulata (Willd.) : nearly glabrous ; stem prostrate; leaflets obcordate;
stipules laciniate; peduncles 2-5-flowered; legumes broad, loosely
spiral and flat, with 1-3 convolutions, reticulated; the margin thin, keeled
41 >