370 CONTRIBUTIONS FROM THE NATIONAL, HERBARIUM. 



4. MELILOTUS Hill. 



1. Melilotus officinalis (L.) Lam. Yellow sweetclover. A few plants along 

 the railroad at Belton. Native of Eur.; naturalized in N. Amer. — Perennial, 0.3 to 



I meter high, glabrous or nearly so, loosely branched, sweet-scented; leaflets 3, 

 oblong or obovate, 2 to 4 cm. long, finely toothed; flowers yellow, 5 to 7 mm. long, in 

 loose racemes; pod 2.5 to 3.5 mm. long, 1 or 2-seeded. 



5. GLYCYRRHIZA L. 



1. Glycyrrhiza lepidota Nutt. Wild licorice. Occasional about Belton and the 

 east entrance, on dry banks or along streams. Wash, to Calif., Mex., N. Y., and 

 Ont. — Perennial, 0.3 to 1 meter high, glabrous or nearly so, branched; leaflets 11 to 19, 

 oblong, 2 to 3.5 cm. long, entire, gland-dotted; flowers 12 mm. long, yellowish or 

 greenish white, in racemes; pod about 1.5 cm. long, covered with hooked prickles. 



The licorice of commerce is obtained from a species of Glycyrrhiza which grows in 

 the Mediterranean region. 



6. HEDYSARXJM L. Hedysarum. 



Perennials with leafy stems; leaflets numerous, entire; flowers in long racemes; 

 pods flat, scalloped along both edges, not opening. 

 Leaflets gray, densely silky-hairy; fruit with appressed hairs; teeth of the calyx 



longer than the tube 1. H. cinerascens. 



Leaflets green, with few scattered appressed hairs; fruit glabrous; teeth of calyx 

 shorter than the tube. 



Flowers yellowish white 2. H. sulphurescens. 



Flowers pink or purple 3. H. americanum. 



1. Hedysarum cinerascens Rydb. Gray hedysarum. Hillsides at east entrance, 

 Umbach. Alta. to Utah and N. Dak. — Plants 30 to 50 cm. high; leaflets 9 to 15, 

 oval, 1 to 2 cm. long, obtuse; corolla purple, about 1.5 cm. long; pods 6 to 8 mm. long. 



2. Hedysarum sulphurescens Rydb. Yellow hedysarum. Common at nearly 

 all altitudes, especially on the east slope, mostly on open hillsides or rock slides or 

 in meadows. B. C. and Alta. to Wyo. — Plants usually 30 to 50 cm. high, nearly 

 glabrous; leaflets 11 to 15, oval or oblong, 1 to 3 cm. long; corolla about 1.5 cm. long; 

 pods 8 to 20 mm. long, 2.5 to 4 mm. wide. 



A rather handsome plant when in flower, resembling some species of Astragalus. 

 Above timber line the plants are frequently only 10 cm. high. 



3. Hedysarum americanum (Michx.) Britton. Purple hedysarum. Apparently 

 rare; shale slide at east entrance; sandbar along lowest Swiftcurrent Lake. Alaska 

 to Wyo., Vt., and Lab. — Plants 20 to 50 cm. high, in clumps, nearly glabrous; leaflets 



II to 21, oval or oblong, 1 to 3 cm. long, obtuse; corolla 12 to 15 mm. long; pods with 

 3 to 5 joints. 



7. ASTRAGALUS L. Milkvetch. 



Perennials; leaves odd-pinnate, the leaflets entire; flowers white, yellow, or purple, 

 in spikes or racemes; pods very variable, flat or terete, thin or woody, sometimes 

 inflated . 

 Pods covered \vith short black hairs. 



Pods not flattened from the sides; leaflets usually notched at the apex. 



1. A. alpinus. 



Pods strongly flattened from the sides; leaflets not notched. 



Corolla white or cream-colored; pods long-stalked in the calyx . . 2. A. macounii. 



Corolla purple; pods nearly sessile 3. A. bourgovii. 



Pods glabrous or with white or gray hairs. 

 Leaflets glabrous on the upper surface; flowers white or pale yellow, sometimes 

 tinged with purple. 



