SPECIES OF THE GENUS MELILOTUS—LAWSON. 183 
biennial, may be readily distinguished from its congener, M. 
altissima, by its cylindrical, plump, shining, bright-colored, trans- 
versely wrinkled, glabrous pod; in the flower, the wings and 
standard are about equal in length, longer than the keel. We 
still need more careful observation as to how far these differences 
in the comparative lengths of the vexillum, alz and carina are 
constant in the several species of Melzlotus ; these differences 
were first specially noted in Dr. Hayne’s communication, dated 
Schnobeck, 9th October, 1807, to Schrader’s Neues Journal fur 
die Botanik. Although the flowers of M. officinalis, Desr., are con- 
stantly yellow in Britain and America, there is a white-flowered 
European form, named T. Petitpierreanwm, for “Herr Petit- 
pierre, General de la Grande Armée ;” 7. Kochianum, for “ Herr 
Chirurgus Koch, in Gnadau.”—/(See Hayne’s letter.) 
This plant grows abundantly on the banks of the Avon 
River, near Windsor, Nova Scotia, where it has been long 
established, and presents every prospect of permanence ; it is 
also general on the citadel, and in several other localities around 
the City, of Quebec, appearing as much at home as any of the 
original native plants. During the visit of the British Associ- 
ation to. Montreal in 1884, I found it growing wild in the streets: 
of that City, and Mr. P. Jack obtained it on the Montreal! 
Mountain. 
It is not improbable that the Canadian localities hitherto: 
assigned to M. altissima, Thuillier, or some of them, may prove,. 
on examination, to belong to this species. Indeed, I think it very 
probable that the localities given by Sir William Hooker in the: 
Flora Boreali-Americana, viz: “About Montreal and Quebec. 
Lady Dalhousie, Mrs. Percival,” belong to. this species. 
In Prof. Macoun’s Catalogue, I, p. 107, M: altissima, (M. 
officonalis, Willd.), is said to. be “naturalized at Pictou and 
Halifax, N. 8S.” So far as I know, we have no. established 
Melilotus in the Halifax district; but M: officinalis, Desr. (not 
altissima) appeared spuntaneously one season in a.sowing of M. 
alba, in the garden of Mr. P. Jack, Bellahill. As regards Pictou; 
Mr. A. H. MacKay, M. A., Principal of the Pictou: Academy, has 
kindly taken the trouble to collect specimens for me on the 
