144 BRITISH BOTANY. 



Sub-Tribe 2. — TKlFOLiEiii:. Stamens in two parcels (diadelphous). 

 Synopsis of Grenera, p. 138. 



Lotus, Lin. — Perennial or annual plants^ with yellow flowers 

 in terminal clusters, rarely solitary. Calyx campanulate, 5 -cleft 

 or 5-partecl. Standard of the corolla about as long as the wings ; 

 keel prolonged into an ascending beak. Legume cylindrical, 

 linear, straight, many -seeded, with imperfect transverse partitions; 

 valves twisted after separating. 



L. corniculatus, hin. Common Bird' s-foot Trefoil. — e.b.2090. 

 L.B.s. 283. 



A. 18. C. 81. Lat. 50-60°. Alt. 0-950 yds. Tein. 52-38°. 



Root rigid. Stems spreading, ascending, glabrous or pubes- 

 cent or hairy, branched and leafy. Leaflets obovate or obovate-ob- 

 long, entire; stipules ovate, herbaceous, pointed or mucronate. 

 Flowers in clusters, 4-8, rarely solitary. Calyx-teeth shorter than 

 the tube, erect when in bud. Keel-petals enlarged above the claw, 

 and united. Legume smooth, terminated by the persistent 

 nearly straight style. 



In meadows and dry commons. Perennial; June-August. 



Sub-var, tenuis. — L. decumbens, Forster in Eng. Fl. vol. iii. p. 

 314. — Stems slender, filiform; leaflets and stipules narrow. On 

 banks and by waysides. 



A. 15. C. 60. Lat. 50-57°. Alt. 0-200 yds. Tem. 52-47°. 



Sub-var. villosus. — Plantiiairy] leaflets ciliated. 



Sub-var. crassifolius. — Stems ascending, leafy. Leaflets ob- 

 long, sessile, thick, with a few hairs. Flowers large, solitary, or 

 occasionally there are two flowers. 



Ii. major. Scop. Gi'eat Bird's-foot Trefoil. — e.b. 30. l.b.s. 

 284. 



A. 16. C. 70. Lat. 50-58°. Alt. 0-100 yds. Tem. 52-46°. 



Stems rouud, erect or ascending, hairy or almost glabrous, 

 fistulous (hollow), leafy. Leaves thinner and hairier than in the 

 preceding ; leaflets oblong or obovate ; stipules ovate-acute. Di- 

 visions of the calyx about as long as the tube, hairy and ciliated, 

 spreading in the bud (this character is not constant). The teeth 

 of the calyx of L. corniculatus spread in the bud as much as the 

 teeth of L. major do, teste recent specimens (but in the latter 

 the teeth are more subulate, and longer). Legume glabrous, 

 crowned by the style. 



In moist places. Per.; June-September. 



