LEGUMIKOS^. 115 LESPEDEZA. 



6. MELILO'TUS. 



Calyx tubular, 5-toothed; keel simple, shorter than the 

 ate and vexillum; legume rugose, longer than the calyx; 

 flowers racemose. 



Lat. md, honey, and lotus. In drying it exhales a sweet scent. Tliis genus 

 was taken from Trifoliinn, from wliich genus it technically differs in the pods, 

 they being longer than the calyx, and in the inflorescence being racemose, 

 not in heads. 



M. OFFICINA'LIS. P. Trifolium officinalis. L. 



Slemevect; /flffl/Zcfs ovate-oblong, dentate ; legumes naked, 2-seeded, rugose, 

 in racemes. This kind of trefoil is about 3 feet high, growing in meadows, 

 indigenous according to Eaton. Stem furrowed, branching. Leaves ternate, 

 leaflets oblong, narrow, obtuse, smooth, with minute, mucronated teeth. Flow- 

 ers yellow, in long, one sided, axillary, erect racemes. Pods oval, pendulous. 

 The whole plant is sweet-scented. Jn. Ann. McLilot Trefoil. 



/3 alba, sometimes made a distinct species, is the common Sweet-scented clo- 

 ver of tlie gardens. The stem is robust, very blanching, 4 — G feet high. 

 Flowers small, very numerous, white. Leaves ternate, oval, more obtuse at 

 tlie summit tlian at the base, sharply serrate. The whole plant sweet-scent- 

 ed. June — Aug. Naturalized. Sweet-scented Clover. 



7. AMPHICARPJE'A. 



Calyx tubular, campanulate, 4-toothed, (or 5-toothed, the 

 upper 2 united) with nearly equal segments; petals oblong ; 

 vexillum with the sides oppressed; stigma capitate; ovary oa 

 a sheathed stipe; legume flat, 2 — 4-seeded. 



Gr. au,(pi, around, icaQTroi, fruit ; in reference to the ovary sheathed at base. 

 Only the upper flowers are complete, but usually barren; those upon the low- 

 er prostrate branches, apetalous and fertile. — Slender, twining annuals. 



A. MONOl'CA. JN'""- Glycine monoica. L. 



Leaves ternate, ovate, acute, smooth ; stcvi hairy ; racemes of the stem with 

 pendulous, petaliferous, barren flowers ; radical peduncles with apetalous, fer- 

 tile flowers. A very slender vine, in woods and thickets. Stem twining, 

 rough backwards. Leaves very thin. Racemes axillary, few-flowered. 

 Flowers pale-purple. Jl. Aug. Per. Pea Fine. 



8. LESPEDE'ZA. 



Calyx 5-parted, complete, bibracieoiate at base, segments 

 nearly equal; keel ot' the corolla obtuse; loment lenticular, 

 unarmed, one-seeded. 



Named by iVlichaux, in honor of Lespedez, a governor of Florida, who pro- 

 tected tiiat botanist during his researches. A genus taken from Hedysarum, 

 from wliich it diflTers in the loment, which is lens-shaped, smooth, with one 

 seed only. Perennial herbs. 



1. L. CAPITA'ta. Mx. L. frutescens. Ell. 



Liaves ternate ; leaflets elliptical, obtuse, silky-pubescent ; stipules subulate ; 



fascicles of flowers ovate, sub-capitate, shorter than the leaves, axillary ; lo 



