PEA FAMILY 285 



3. M. hispida Gaertn. Bur Clover. Branches spreading or procumbent, 

 from a few inches to 2 feet long; herbage nearly glabrous; leaflets obovate or ob- 

 cordate ; stipules finely toothed ; peduncles 3 to 5-flowered, rather longer than the 

 leaves; pods twisted into a spiral of 2 or 3 turns, compressed, reticulated, the thin 

 keeled edge bordered by a double row of more or less hooked or curved prickles. 



Naturalized from Europe, plains, low hills and valleys, 10 to 2000 feet: very 

 common or in places abundant, throughout California. May-June, but often flow- 

 ering in most places at nearly all seasons. 



Note on introduction. — This species was, without reasonable doubt, introduced into Cali- 

 fornia by the Spanish expeditions from Mexico which founded the Franciscan missions, probably 

 in the wool of the sheep brought in for the new settlements. Since that early day it has become 

 widely spread everywhere in the valleys and on the low hills. By cattlemen the plant is prized 

 as a dry season stock feed, since the burs are produced in great quantity and are highly nutritious ; 

 it also furnishes a green pasturage in the rainy season. This is a rare instance of an aggressive 

 immigrant herb having a high economic value. 



Locs. — San Diego Co. (Orcutt, Fl. S. & L. Cal. check-list, 4) ; San Bernardino Valley, Parish 

 11,085; Los Angeles, E. D. Palmer; Tulare, Davy 3128; Berryessa, Santa Clara Co., Davy 7063; 

 Berkeley, Davy 6551; Antioch, Jepson 10,213a; Stockton, Sanford; Vacaville, Jepson; St. Helena, 

 Jepson 10,324; Dry Creek hills, n. of lone, Jepson 15,220; Auburn, ShocTcley; Oroville, Heller 

 11,186 ; Cahto, Mendocino Co., Davy 6622 ; Scotia, Humboldt Co., Davy 5531. 



Kefs. — Medicago hispida Gaertn. Fruct. 2:349 (1791), type from Europe; Jepson, Fl. W. 

 Mid. Cal. ed. 2, 221 (1911), Man. 534, fig. 522 (1925). M. denticulata Willd. Sp. PI. 3:1414 

 (1800), type from s. Europe; Jepson, Fl. W. Mid. Cal. 313 (1901). 



4. M. arabica All. Spotted Medick. Very similar to no. 3, but the petioles 

 with spreading hairs, the leaflets usually much larger (1 inch long); pods com- 

 pactly spiral, the margin thicker. 



Naturalized from Europe : along the coast from Eureka to San Francisco Bay, 

 uncommon but gradually spreading. Apr.-May. 



Locs. — Eureka, Tracy 2560; Ft. Ross, Sonoma Co. (Erythea 6:25) ; Ross Valley, Marin Co., 

 Bioletti; Berkeley, H. A. Walker 566. 



Refs. — Medicago arabica All. Fl. Pedem. 1:315 (1785), type from Italy; Jepson, Man. 

 534 (1925). M. maculata Willd. Sp. PI. 3:1412 (1800), type European; Jepson,' Fl. W. Mid. Cal. 

 313 (1901), ed. 2, 221 (1911). 



5. M. apiculata Willd. Stems spreading, 1 to 2 feet long; leaflets deltoid, 

 denticulate, except at the base, usually retuse and mucronate at apex, 5 to 6 lines 

 long; pods unarmed or the spines very short, the sides strongly reticulated, the 

 reticulations running to the edge and appearing as a row of tubercles on either 

 side of the margin. 



Naturalized from Europe, low valleys, grassy hills and canons, 10 to 500 feet : 

 widely distributed, but relatively rare. Apr.-]\Ia3^ 



Locs. — Crescent City, Davy 5928; Redding, Baher 4" Nutting ; Eureka, Tracy 3156; Norman, 

 Glenn Co., Davy; Rio Linda, n. Sacramento Co., Jepson 16,558; Dry Creek hills, n. of lone, 

 Jepson 15,217; Knights Ferry, F. W. Bancroft; Sonoma Valley, Jepson 4768; Pt. Isabel, near 

 Berkeley, Davy; San Francisco; New Almaden, Davy 283; Santa Cruz Isl. (behind Prisoners 

 Harbor), Jepson 12,068; Garvanza, Los Angeles, Geo. B. Grant. 



Refs. — Medicago apiculata "Willd. Sp. PI. 3:1414 (1800), type from s. Europe; Jepson, 

 Fl. W. Mid. Cal. 313 (1901), ed. 2, 221 (1911), Man. 534 (1925). 



15. MELILOTUS Juss. Sweet Clover 



Annual or biennial herbs with pinnately 3-foliolate leaves and toothed leaflets. 

 Herbage fragrant in drying. Flowers small, yellow or white, in spike-like racemes 

 on axillary peduncles, in bud erect, soon deflexed and not again becoming erect. 

 Calyx 5-toothed. Petals falling after flowering, free from the stamen tube. Sta- 

 mens diadelphous, the upper one entirely free. Pod ovoid, straight, longer than 

 the calyx, scarcely dehiscent, 1 or 2-seeded. — Species 20, Europe, Asia and Africa. 

 (Greek meli, honey, and lotos, the ancient name of some plant belonging to this 

 family.) 



