Melilotus LEGUMINOSAE Phaseolus 



not coiled. About 20 species, in the eastern hemisphere; 8 in China. (Greek: meli, 

 honey; and lotos, some legume, on account of the fragrance of the fls.) 



Key to the Species 



Stipules broad and denticulate at the base (sometimes obsoletely so): fls. 

 small, 2.5-3 mm. long; calyx segments broad, sometimes obtuse: 

 legume subglobose 1 • ■*"• indicus 



Stipules narrow, entire, subulate-setaceous; fls. larger, 3-4 mm. long; 

 calyx segments narrow, slenderly pointed; legume ovate-elliptic; up- 

 per suture keeled and smooth 2. M. suaveolens 



1. Melilotus indicus (L.) All. (M. parvi flora Desf.) 115 Eft; ( Lan S J ih Pa Hua ! 

 Young-gentleman's-hope Flower; Ko. F. 11:189) (B.M. 583). Bushy herb, to 1m.; 

 fls. yellow, VI-VII; fr. VII-IX. Introduced from Europe; locally in An., Ku. 

 Roadside weed. 



2. Melilotus suaveolens Ledeb. (Mak.F. 427). Bushy herb, to lm.; fls. yellow, 

 IV-VII; fr. VI-VIII. Northeastern Asia; locally in Ku. Waste land. 



34. Medicago Linn. Medick lllfM (Mu Su Shu) 



Herbs, rarely woody, with 3-foliolate Ivs.: lfts. denticulate and nerved: fls. in 

 short dense axillary racemes, yellow or purple; stamens diadelphous: pods coriaceous , 

 curved or coiled. About 50 species, in the eastern hemisphere; 4 in China. (Greek: 

 Medike, referring to Media, the country from which alfalfa is supposed to have come.) 



Key to the Species 



a. Perennial: pods loosely coiled, unarmed: fls. purple 1. M. sativa 



aa. Annual: pods reniform or tightly coiled: fls. yellow. 



Pods smooth, 1-seeded: plant pubescent 2. M. lupu Una 



Pods prickly, several-seeded. 



Lfts. 1.5-2 cm. long; stipules laciniate: plant glabrous 3. M. hispida 



Lfts. 0.8-1.2 cm. long; stipules subentire: plant finely downy 4. M. minima 



1. Medicago sativa Linn. Alfalfa gl^f (Tzu Mu Su; Purple Medick) (B.M. 582). 

 Erect herb, to 0.5 m.; fls. bluish purple, IV-VI; fr. V-VII. Introduced from 

 Europe; locally in Ku. Cultivated, fodder. 



2. Medicago lupulina Linn. Hop Clover ^^ (Tien Lan; Heavenly Blue) (G.M. 

 895). Prostrate herb; fls. yellow, IV-V; fr. V-VI. Naturalized from Europe; 

 locally in An., Ku. Dry grassland and fields. 



3. Medicago hispida Gaertn. (M. denticulata Willd.) Bur Clover slf (Mu Su; 

 Medick) (B.M. 582). Prostrate herb; fls. yellow, IV-V; fr. V-VI. Naturalized 

 from Europe; locally in Che., Ku. Roadside and lawn weed. Fig. 184. 



4. Medicago minima (L.) Lam. Little Medick 'Mlf (Hsiao Mu Su) (G.M. 896). 

 Prostrate herb; fls. yellow, IV-VIII; fr. V-VIII. Eurasia, North Africa; locally 

 in An., Ku. Roadside weed. 



35. Phaseolus Linn. Bean ^~SM (Ts'ai Tou Shu) 



Twining or erect herbs, with 3-foliolate lvs.; lfts. stipellate: fls. in axillary 

 racemes; lower tooth of calyx longer than the others; keel of the corolla coiled; style 

 bearded along one side: pods linear to oblong, straight or curved. 50-200 species, in 



193 



