WILD AND CULTIVATED CLOVERS OF OHIO. 



Mary B. Lixnell. 



Fabaceae — Bean Family. 



Sub-family — fabatae. 

 Tribe — Trifolieae — Clovers. 



Stamens diadelphus, anthers all alike. Leaves with three 

 leaflets, rarely with one leaflet; leaflets denticulate. 



Synopsis of Genera. 



I. Corolla falling off after blossoming; petal claws free. 



1. Flowers in heads or short racemes, seldom single; pod linear, 

 curved or twisted. 



a. Pod linear, straight, or somewhat curved, often beaked. 



Trigonella. 



b. Pod mostly spirally twisted, sometimes curved, or 

 kidney-shaped. Medicago. 



2. Flowers in elongated racemes; pods thick, almost spherical or 

 obovate. Melilotus. 



II. Corolla mostly drying up and persistent after flowering; petal claws 

 either all or the four lower ones united with the stamen tube. Trifolium. 



Key. 

 1. Petals united with the stamen tube, persistant; flowers in globose or 

 elongated heads, or umbellate. Trifolium. 



1. Petals free from the stamen tube, falling off. 2. 



2. Flowers small, yellow or white, drooping; inflorescence an elongated 



raceme. Melilotus. 



2. Flowers single, in pairs, or in a dense more or less elongated inflorescence. 3 



3. Leaflets denticulate all aroimd, seldom almost entire-margined; fruit 



linear, beaked, often somewhat curved. 



Trigonella. 

 3. Leaflets denticulate only at the outer end; fruit strongly curved or 

 spirally twisted. Medicago. 



Trigonella L. 



Annual plants with yellow or blue flowers. Stipules united 

 with the petiole at the base. Flowers linear, straight or curved. 



1. Trigonella foenum-graecum L. Fenugreek. 



Annual fodder plants; flowers single or in pairs; pod linear, 

 many seeded. Introduced from Asia and cultivated for its 

 aromatic, mucilaginous seeds, formerly employed in medicines 

 and still used by veterinarians. The source of "Semen faenu 

 graeci. " 



Medicago (Toum.) L. 

 Herbs with small, yellow, or violet flowers in axillary heads or 

 racemes. Leaves pinnately veined, the veins terminating in 

 the teeth. Calyx-teeth short, nearly equal; standard obovate or 



443 



