78 



MEDICAGO MELIOSMA 



known as "medicks," and including the "lucerne." It is not hardy 

 at Kew in the open, but will live against a wall ; it is said to have been 

 ii ft. high at one time in the Chelsea Botanic Garden. It is best 

 adapted for the extreme south-western counties. A shrub, evergreen 

 where it thrives, usually 6 or 8 ft. high; its stems very leafy but little 

 branched, covered with grey down. Leaves trifoliolate, i to ij ins. long; 

 leaflets -J to f in. long, wedge-shaped, sometimes toothed, sometimes 

 notched at the apex, silky beneath, smooth above. Flowers yellow, J in. 

 long, crowded at the end of short axillary racemes which continue to 

 appear as the shoot extends, from June well into autumn, but never 

 making a great display at one time. Easily increased by soft cuttings 

 in bottom heat. The leaves are produced in clusters at each joint, and 

 as the joints are usually about \ in. apart, the stem has a very leafy aspect. 

 The pod is flat, but curled round like a ram's horn. In the south of 

 Europe it makes a pleasing undergrowth in thinnish woodland and at the 

 outskirts of plantations, especially in maritime districts. 



MELIOSMA CUNBIFOLIA. 

 I 



MELIOSMA. SABIACE^E. 



A genus of trees and shrubs, with alternate, simple or pinnate leaves, 

 natives of Eastern Asia and America the hardy ones all from China and 

 Japan, and deciduous. They produce their flowers, which are small and 

 white, in large terminal panicles. Petals five, the three outer ones 

 concave, orbicular, and larger than the two inner ones. Fruit a drupe 

 containing one seed, which is remarkable for its twisted radicle. 



Until quite recently the only species grown out-of-doors was M. 

 myriantha, which is tender in many places. Wilson introduced several 

 species from China, two of which are described below, the remainder 



