AMONG THE WILD FLOWERS. 157 
V. testrasperma, and has from 5 to 8 seeds 
and larger flowers. 
I observe in a lane near the base of Bepton 
Down, in Sussex, a continuous growth, all along 
the fence, of Lathyrus Sylvestris, Everlasting 
Pea, its flowers varied with greenish-yellow and 
purple. This plant is to be distinguished from 
L. latifolius, which has broadly elliptical leaves 
and bright rose-coloured flowers, a very doubt- 
ful native, but frequently seen on trellis-work 
and in gardens. The leaves of L. Sylvestris 
are g/adiate, long and narrow like a sword-blade. 
Lathyrus Aphaca, the Yellow Vetchling, be- 
longs to the South, but is rare; it is a very 
peculiar plant, remarkable for the absence of 
leaves which are substituted by the stzpules, 
which are leaflike appendages at the base of 
the Zetzole or flower-stalk; in L. Aphaca the 
petiole itself forms a tendril. 
The Melilot, AZellotus officinalis, now dis- 
plays its pretty racemes of yellow flowers on 
stems about 18 inches high; there is also J/ 
parviflora, with very small flowers, and JZ. alba 
with white ones. The curious pods of Meat- 
cago, Medick, may be looked for; we have 7 
species, several of which have sfzra/ pods, and 
