Mediciigo.] xlvii. § papilionace^e (baker). 51 



1. M. lupulina, Linn. ; DC. Prod. ii. 172. Stems biennial herba- 

 ceous, 1 ft. or more long-, procumbent, copiously branched, slightly 

 downy. Stipules J-§ in. long-, toothed, the free part lanceolate acu- 

 minate. Leaflets obovate, toothed. Flowers in long-stalked rounded 

 heads. Pedicels short. Calyx subtubular, with lanceolate teeth. 

 Corolla bright yellow, twice the calyx. Pod 1-seeded, reniform, with 

 an incurved point, reticulate, ultimately black. — E. B. t. 971. 



Nile Land. Abyssinia, Schimper! 



All through Europe to Siberia and India ; introduced in N. America. 



2. M. orbicularis, All. ; DC. Prod. ii. 174. Stems annual, subgla- 

 brous, 1 ft. or more long-, diffuse. Stipules short, laciniated. Petioles 

 J— \ in. long". Leaflets obovate-cuneate, toothed, §— \ in. loug. Pe- 

 duncles \-\ in. long*, 2-3-flowered. Calyx \ in. long, teeth linear. 

 Pods \— f in. broad, of 3—5 spirals which grow gradually smaller up- 

 wards, entirely spineless, the faces glabrous, prominently reticulato- 

 rugose. — A. Rich. Fl. Abyss, i. 164. 



Nile Land. Abyssinia, Schimper and Quartin- Dillon. 



A Mediterranean species, reaching the Canaries, Syria, and Scinde. 



3. M. minima, Lam. ; DC. Prod. ii. 178. Stem annual, 6 in. long, 

 diffuse, downy. Stipules with lanceolate free points, outer edge entire 

 or slightly toothed. Petioles under \ in. long. Leaflets obovate- 

 cuneate, finely toothed. Flowers in short- stalked clusters of 2-4. 

 Calyx one line long, thinly hairy, teeth linear, reaching more than half- 

 way down. Corolla yellow, half as long again as the calyx. Pod glo- 

 bose, with 3-5 spirals', \ in. broad without the spines, the faces hidden 

 and finely-veined. — E.B.S. t. 2635. M. grceca, Horn. Hort. Hafn. 24. 

 A. Rich. Fl. Abyss, i. 165. 



Nile Land. Abyssinia, Schimper! 



A common European and West Asian species. 



4. M. laciniata, All. ; DC. Prod. ii. 180. Annual, very diffuse, the 

 whole plant glabrous. Stipules laciniate. Leaflets obovate-cuneate, 2-4 

 •lines long, sharply toothed. Flowers 1-2 on short peduncles. Calyx 

 ^ in. deep, teeth lanceolate acuminate. Corolla bright yellow, half as 

 long again as the calyx. Pod globose, 2 lines broad exclusive of the 

 spines, with 4-5 densely muricated spirals, the finely veined faces 

 quite hidden. 



Nile Land. Abyssinia, Schweinfurth. 



All round the Mediterranean, and also one of the few Cape species. 



5. M. denticulata, Willd. ; DC. Prod. ii. 176. Stem annual, 6-12 

 in. long, diffuse, subglabrous. Stipules laciniated, the free points linear. 

 Leaflets obovate-cuneate, toothed. Peduncles an inch long, the 

 flowers in heads of 3-6. Pedicels shorter than the calyx, which is a 

 line long, teeth lanceolate-subulate. Corolla yellow, half as long again 

 as the calyx. Pod glabrous, globose, \ in. broad without the spines, 

 with 2-4 spirals, the faces reticulated with raised veins, the spines 



