74 THE FLORA OF THE ALPS 



The two commonest English species of Melick — M. 

 Lupulina^ L., and minima^ Desr. — are common in grassy 

 situations. Others have been introduced, including M. 

 sativa, L., Lucerne, with larger violet flowers. M. 

 falcata^ L., a partially erect plant with violet-yellow 

 flowers and sickle-shaped legume, grows by road-sides 

 or in meadows. M. suffruticosa, Ram., a pubescent 

 plant, 2-8 in. high, with rather large yellow flowers, 

 round or obovate leaflets, and half-arrow-shaped stipules, 

 is found in rocky sub-alpine situations in Pyrenees. 



9. MeLILOTUS, Tourn. 



Flowers small, yellow or white, in long axillary 

 racemes; filaments diadelphous ; legume short, straight, 

 few-seeded. Not alpine. 



M, alba^ Desr. {vulgaris^ Willd.), with white flowers, 

 is a very common plant by road-sides. M. officinalis, 

 Desr. (arvensiSf Wallr.), Melilot, and altissima, ThuilL, 

 with yellow flowers, are also widely distributed. 



10. Trifolium, L. 



Flowers usually in round umbel-like spikes or racemes, 

 containing honey ; petals united into a long tube ; legume 

 small, straight, few-seeded. 



Most of the English species of Trefoil are Swiss ; there 

 are also some alpine species. 



A. Flowers purple or nearly white, changing to 

 pink. 



The following are English: — T. pratense, L., Red 

 Clover ; T. medium, L., with larger green stipules ; T, 



