CALYCIFLORZ 89 
the stigma striking the back of the bee. The long 
stamens curl up. The vexillum is forced open, and 
the flower is finally cross-pollinated." 
The fruit is a legume, the valves of the pods 
curling up and jerking out the seeds by an elastic 
motion. Ants also carry the seeds about, as they 
find nutriment in the elaiosomes. 
Banadle, Bannal, Basam, Bersom, Bisom, Breen, 
Broom, Brumgenest, are local names for Broom. 
Broom flowers yielded a water which was a cure 
for surfeits, and taken by Henry VIII, who was 
subject to them. 
An ointment was also made from the blooms. 
The broom was the badge of the Plantagenet kings. 
Beer was flavoured and made bitter by an infusion 
of the tops of broom. Coffee was adulterated by 
using the seeds. 
Thatched roofs were made with broom. The 
wood, yielding much alkali, was used in making 
soap. The fibre was employed for making cloth. 
THE ComMon MELILOT (Melilotus officinalis). 
The sweet-scented melliferous character of this 
plant is indicated by the first Latin and the English 
names. It has, in fact, been used for obtaining a 
‘scent, like new-mown hay. 
The Melilot is found in every English county, 
1 The style afterwards curls up, and the stigma lies immediately 
above the short stamens, so that on the next visit the flower may be 
again cross-pollinated. 
