MED 



unless the corolla be called so : the corolla has 

 six petals, ovate-oblong, equal, spreading, re- 

 volute : the stamina have six awl-shaped fila- 

 ments, the length of the corolla: anthers in- 

 cumbent : the pistillum has the germs, three- 

 horned, ending in styles: stigmas recurved, 

 thickish : the pericarpium is a roundish berry, 

 three-cleft, three-celled: the seeds solitary and 

 heart-shaped. . . 



The species cultivated are : 1. M. Virginiana, 

 Virginian Medeola; 2. M. asparagoides, Broad - 

 leafed Shrubby Medeola ; 3. M. angustijo/ia, 

 Narrow-leaved Shrubby Medeola. 



The first has a small scaly root, from which 

 rises a single stalk, about eight inches in height; 

 there is one whorl of leaves, at a small distance 

 from the ground, and at the top are two leaves, 

 standing opposite : between these, come out 

 three slender peduncles, which turn downwards, 

 each sustaining one pale herbaceous flower, 

 with a purple pointal. It is a native of Vir- 

 ginia, flowering in June. 



The second species has the root composed of 

 several oblong knobs, which unite at the top, 

 like that of the Ranunculus; from which arise 

 two or three stiff winding stalks, dividing into 

 branches, and rising four or five feet in height, 

 when they meet with support : the leaves are 

 sessile, ending in acute points, of a light green 

 beneath, but dark above : the flowers come 

 out from the sides of the stalks, singly, or 

 two on a slender short peduncle : the petals are 

 dull white. It flowers in the beginning of 

 winter, and the seeds become ripe in the spring. 

 It is a native of the Cape. 



The third has a root like the second, but the 

 stalks are not so strong ; they climb higher, but 

 do not branch so much : the leaves are much 

 longer and narrower, and are of a grayish colour : 

 the flowers come out from the sides of the 

 branches, two or three upon each peduncle : 

 they are of an herbaceous white colour, shap- 

 ed like those of the second sort, appearing 

 about the same time ; but have not produced 

 fruit in this climate. It is likewise a native 

 of the Cape, flowering from December to 

 March. 



Culture. — These plants may be increased by 

 planting offsets, taken from the roots in the sum- 

 mer season, about July, in pots filled with good 

 rich light mould, remaining* in the open air till 

 autumn, when they should be removed into the 

 green- or hot-house; but the latter when in- 

 tended to fruit. While the plants have a 

 vigorous growth, they should be frequenly 

 refreshed with water ; 'but as the stems decay, 

 very little, especially when placed in an eastern 

 aspect. 



MED 



The second and third sorts may be Taised 

 from seeds, but they commonly remain long in 

 the earth before they come up. 



The first sort is sufficiently hardy to stand in 

 the open air during winter. 



They afford variety in green-house and stove 

 collections, in the winter season. 



MEDICAGO, a genus furnishing plants of 

 the shrubby evergreen and herbaceous annual 

 kinds. 



It belongs to the class and order Diadelpkia 

 Decandria, and ranks in the natural order of 

 Papilionacece or Leguminosce : 



The characters are : that the calyx is a one- 

 leafed perianthium, straight, campanulate-cylin- 

 drical, half-five-cleft, acuminate, equal : the 

 corolla papilionaceous : banner ovate, entire; 

 the margins bent in, the whole bent back : 

 wings ovate-oblong, affixed by an appendage 

 to the keel, with the sides converging under the 

 keel : keel oblong, bifid, spreading, blunt, bent 

 down from the pistil, and gaping from the ban- 

 ner : the stamina have diadelphous filaments, 

 united almost to the tops : anthers small : the 

 pistillum is a pedicelled oblong germ, curved 

 in, compressed, involved in the filaments, 

 starting from the keel, bending back the 

 banner, ending in a short, awl-shaped, almost 

 straight style : stigma terminating, very small : 

 the pericarpium is a compressed legume, long, 

 bent in : the seeds several, kidney-shaped or 

 angular. 



The species cultivated are : 1 . M. arlorea, 

 TreeMedick, or Moon Trefoil ; 2. M. polymor- 

 pha, Variable Medick, or Snail and Hedge-hog 

 Trefoil. 



The first is a shrub growing to the height of 

 from four or five to eight or ten feet, and being 

 covered with a gray bark, the whole has a hoary 

 appearance : the stem divides into many 

 branches, with ternate leaves at each joint, on 

 foot-stalks about an inch in length : there being 

 several of these leaves together, the whole 

 shrub is closely covered with them ; and it is 

 never destitute of leaves : the component leaf- 

 lets are small, lanceolate, (or wedge-shaped, 

 emarginate,) and hoary on their under side: the 

 flowers arc produced on peduncles from the 

 side of the branches, four or five together, and 

 are of a bright yellow : the pods contain three 

 or four small seeds. It flowers a great part of 

 the year, and when sheltered is seldom destitute 

 of them ; beginning in the open air to flower in 

 April, and continuing till December. 



It arows in great plenty in Abruzzo, and 

 Naples. 



The second species has an annual, oblong, 

 branched root ; the stems more or less procum- 



