78 XLII. LEGUMINOS.i;. 



Herbs, dispevsecl over the globe : " Trefoil," " Clover," etc. — There are 

 7 species fouud in South Africa, of which 3 are endemic, the rest probably 

 introduced from Europe. 



28. MELILOTUS, Tourncf. 



Calyx bell-shaped, subequally 5-tootlicd. Corolla deciduous ; 

 standard and wings longer than the obtuse keel. Stamens 

 diadelphous. Legume oval or oblong, 1-4-seeded, longer than 

 the unaltered calyx, indehiscent. — Fl. Cap. ii. p. IGl. 



Annuals or biennials, strongly scented, of Northern origin. Leaves 

 pinnately 3-foliolate, the leaflets sharply and coarsely toothed. Flowers 

 small, yellow or whitish, in racemes. M. panijlora^ Desv., is a weed near 

 cultivation. 



29. TRiaONELLA, Linn. 



Calyx bell-shaped, 5-toothed. Corolla deciduous ; standard 

 and wings spreading; keel obtuse. Stamens diadelphous. Le- 

 gume linear or oblong-linear, compressed or terete, acuminate, 

 many-seeded. — Fl. Cap. \i. p. 161. 



Strongly-scented herbs, chiefly from the northern hemisphere. Leaves 

 pinnately 3-foliolate. Flowers racemose, umbelled or subsolitary. T. ha- 

 mosa, Linn., is found in the Eastern district. 



30. MEDICAGO, Linn. 



Calyx campanulate, subequally 5-toothed. Standard longer 

 than the wings and the blunt keel. Stamens diadelphous. 

 Stigma capitate. Legume 1- or many-seeded, spirally twisted 

 or falcate. — Fl. Cap. ii. p. 162. 



Herbs, abundant in Central and Southern Europe and Middle Asia, na- 

 turalized in various countries. Leaves pinnately 3-foliolate, very rarely im- 

 paripinnate. Flowers minute, yellow or purple. — 4 species, naturalized at 

 the Cape. 



Tribe 6. I^^digofeeeje. (Gen. 31.) 

 31. INDIGOFERA, Linn. 



Calyx small, bell- shaped, 5-fid or 5-toothed. Standard round- 

 ish, reflexed ; keel with a spur or prominence at each side, 

 near the base. Stamens diadelphous ; the connective of the 

 anthers apiculate ! ovary 2- or several-ovuled. Legume linear, 

 terete, compressed or flattened, 1- or several -seeded, mostly 

 with septa between the seeds. — Fl. Cap. ii. p. 163. 



A vast genus, found in all liot countries. Shrubs undershrubs or an- 

 nuals. Leaves iniparipinnate or digitate, 3- or many-folioled, rarely 1- 

 foliolate or suppressed. Hairs commonly rigid, fixed by a middle point, and 

 set in subparaliel lines ; some ai'e softly hairy or villous, a few glabrous. 

 Flowers purple rosy or white, mostly racemose. — About 120 South African 

 species (several new, as yet undescribed), dispersed. 



