LEGUMINOUS FORAGE CROPS 



211 



VI. FLORIDA BEGGAR WEED 



245. Florida Beggar Weed (Desmodium tortuosum D. C.) is 

 an annual, closely related to Japan clover, from which it differs 

 in having its pods several jointed and in its 

 much larger size, growing under cultivation in 

 the tropics six to ten feet high. It is adapted 

 to the sub-tropical portions of Florida and the 

 Gulf states, especially on rich, moist, sandy 

 lands. Horses, mules and cattle 

 eat it readily when green or cured 

 into hay. If, however, it is sown 

 thinly, it becomes woody and is less 

 desirable. Not less than five pounds 

 of clean seed per acre should be 

 sown. Seeding is usually done in 

 the latter part of June. 



Florida beggar weed 

 spray, showing 

 flowers in bloom. 



VII. LOTUS 



beggar 



weed seed, a 

 Enlarged four 

 times; b natu- 

 ral size. Lom- 

 ent to the left, 

 natural size. 



246. GENERAL CHARACTERS. There are 

 120 species of the genus Lotus widely 



distributed, of which about 40 occur principally in western United States. 

 Of these, three have been cultivated in this country: bird's-foot trefoil 

 (Lotus corniculatus L.), prairie bird's-foot trefoil (L. americanus (Nutt.) 

 Bisch.) and square pod or winged pea (L. tetragonolobus L.). These are 

 plants having somewhat the appearance and habit of growth of black medic, 

 but have larger flowers, and produce straight, oblong, many-seeded pods. The 

 basal leaflets have often been mistaken for stipules, which are rudimentary. 

 They are characterized by growing in the driest situations and upon the 

 lightest and most sterile soils. 



247. BIRD'S-FOOT TREFOIL. The branching leafy stems are 6 to 18 inches 

 long, angular, and are spreading or ascending. The tap root is spindle-shaped 

 and relatively large, penetrating to a moderate depth. There are two to six 

 yellow flowers in each cluster, the standard being tinged with red and green. 

 The pods are 1 to 1.5 inches long. The seeds, about the size of red clover 

 seeds, are oval, flattened on the sides, brown with a wide, round spot at the 

 hilum. In Europe there are three varieties: common, slender or fine-leafed, 

 and hairy bird's-foot trefoil. Commercial seed is usually of the slender or 



