444 The Ohio Naturalist. [Vol. XV, No. 4, 



oblong; wings oblong; keel obtuse. Ovulary sessile or nearly so, 

 1-several ovuled; style subulate. Pod curved or spirally twisted, 

 reticulate or prickly, indehiscent, 1-few seeded. 



1. Leaflets oblanceolate, oblong, or obovate, usually much longer than 

 wide; flowers violet, purple, or yellow, perennial. 2. 



1. Leaflets broadly obovate, cuneate, or nearly orbicular, as broad or 



nearly as broad as long; flowers yellow, annual. 3. 



2. Flowers violet-purple or bluish; pod very much coiled, ill. saliva. 



2. Flowers yellow; pod scarcely coiled. M.falcata. 



3. Inflorescence usually 10-many flowered; pod without prickles; stem 



somewhat pubescent. AI. lupulina. 



3. Inflorescence less than 10-flowered; pod prickly. 4. 



4. Leaflets more or less tnmcate at the tip, with dark spot or spots near 



the center; stem somewhat pubescent, especially at the top. M. arahica. 

 4. Leaflets rounded at the apex; stem almost glabrous; leaves not spotted. 



M. hispida. 



1. Medicago sativa L. Alfalfa. 



Perennial herb with much branching crown; stem 2^ ft. 

 high, ascending; leaves lyi in. long, \}i in. wide, with petiole; 

 leaflets ^-}i in. long, yi-yi in. wide, obovate to oblanceolate, 

 dentate especially near the apex; flowers violet or blue, on short 

 racemes; pod twisted into 2 or 3 spirals. In fields and waste 

 places. Rather general. From Europe. 



2. Medicago falcata L. Yellow Alfalfa. 



Perennial herb with much branching stem, 15-20 in. high, 

 ascending; leaves l-lj4 in. long; leaflets ^ in. long, % in. wide; 

 flowers yellow; pod scarcely coiled. Occasionally found in 

 waste places. Native of Europe. 



3. Medicago lupulina L. Hop Medic. 



Annual; branching at the base; branches decumbent and 

 spreading; roots fibrous; stem 1-1 J^ ft. high; leaves 2 in. long, 

 1 in. wide; leaflets >^ in. long, ^ in. wide, obovate, often decidedly 

 cuneate at the base; flowers with peduncles \}4 m. long; flower 

 cluster oblong; pod spiral. In fields and waste places. Native 

 of Europe. General. 



4. Medicago arabica (L.) Huds. Spotted Medic. 



Annual; branching from the root; spreading or decumbent; 

 stem 12-15 in. high; leaves 3-5 in. long, 1-1>2 in. wide, petioled; 

 leaflets 1 in. long, )4 in wide, obcordate, with purple spot on the 

 mid vein nearer the apex than base; flowers yellow; inflorescence 

 3-5-flowercd; pods spirally coiled, with curved prickles. 



5. Medicago hispida Gaertn. Toothed Medic. 



Annual; branching from the root; spreading or ascending; 

 stem 15-20 in. high, glabrous; leaves ^ in. long, ^ in. wide, 

 petioled; leaflets jE^ in. long, }4 in. wide, obovate; flowers few, 

 yellow; pod several seeded, spirally twisted and amied with 

 curved prickles. In waste places. Lake County. From Europe. 



