C *233 ] 



Lotus Odoratus. Sweet-Scented 

 Birds-Foot Trefoil. 



Clafs and Order. 



DlADELPHIA DECANDRIA. 



Generic Character, 



Legumen cylindricum, ftri£tum. Filam. cuneiformia. Al<£ 

 furfum longitudinaliter conniventes. Cal. tubulofus. 



Specific Character and Synonyms. 



LOTUS odoralus ; (hirfutus) capitulis dimidiatis, bra&eis 

 monophyllis, ftipulis ovatis folioliformibus, legurai- 

 nibus ftrictis fubtorulofis mucronatis. 



LOTUS odoratus. Donn Hort. Cant. 173 .<? 



This plant bears confiderable affinity to Lotus comiculatus, 

 but is much more hairy in every part, efpecially the calyx, 

 which is deeper divided, with long awl-1haped fegments. 

 Bratte generally one-leaved. Legumens ftraight, very patent, 

 fomewhat torulofe, and terminated by the rigid perfiftent ftyle. 

 Peduncles twice the length of the leaves. Stems frutefcent. 



The flowers, which are deep yellow fometimes ftreaked with 

 red, are very fweet-fcented, fomething like violets or orris 

 root, and continue in fucceffion through the fummer. 



It is alfo very like the Lotus parviflora of Desfontaines, 

 but this laft is an annual plant with fmaller flowers. We 

 fuppofe our plant to be the fame with the Lotus odoratus of 

 Donn, though he has marked it as annual, which ours is not. 

 Received from Mr. Loddiges, who raifed it feveral years 

 fince from feeds fent to him from Vienna, under the name 

 we have adopted, and faid to be a native of Barbary. 



Propagated by feeds, which it ripens with us. Is chiefly 

 valuable for its agreeable fcent. 



