998 



MEDICAGO 



pods slightly pubescent, with two or three spirals. Eu. 

 — Now widely cult., particularly in dry regions, as a 

 hay and pasture, being to the We.st what red clover is 

 to the Northeast. See Alfalfa. A hardier and drought- 

 resisting race (known as var. Turkest4nica, Hort. ) was 

 introduced from central Asia in 1898 by N. E. Hansen, 



1383. Medeola Virginiana. the Indian Cucumber Root. 

 (Xjj.) (Seep. 907.) 



under the auspices of the U. S. Dept. Agric. (see Han- 

 sen, Amer. Agric. Feb. 24, 1900 ; Circular 2j, Division of 

 Agrostology, U. S. Dept. Agric). 



AA. I'ls. yellow. 



B. Plant annual and herbaceons. 



lupuUna, Linn. Black or Hop Medick. Nonesuch. 



Diffuse, the branches often rooting and becoming 2-3 



ft. long, deep-rooted, and difficult to pull up: plant gln- 



MEDINILLA 



brous or slightly pubescent : Itts. oval to orbicular, 

 toothed: stipules broad and toothed: fis. small, light 

 yellow, in pedunculate heads : fr. nearly glabrous, 

 spiral, becoming black. Eu. — Extensively naturalized. 

 Has the appearance of 

 a clover. The yellow 

 clovers with which it 

 is likely to be con- 

 founded have larger 

 heads, which soon be- 

 come dry and paperj', 

 and the stipules ai-e en- 

 tire. It is sometimes 

 used as a forage or hay 

 plant Of no ornamen- 

 tal value. 



prostr&ta,Jacq. Steii' 

 prostrate: Ifts. linear, 

 dentate at the apex: 

 stipules linear -subu- 

 late: pod glabrous, spi- 

 rally contorted, 2- 

 seeded, black. S. Eu. 

 — Advertised as an or- 

 namental plant. M.ele- 

 gans, a name for a low, 

 } ellow-fld. species, is 

 also in the trade; it 

 may be any one of 4 or 

 5 species. 



1384. Medicago sativa— Alfalfa. 



BCUtellita, Jlill. Snails. Erect or spreading, soft- 

 pubescent: Ifts. broadly obovate or the upper ones 

 broadly oblong, prominently toothed: stipules falcate, 

 toothed at the base: fls. small, solitary or nearly so: 

 pod large and prominently reticulated, }4 in. across, 

 like a snail shell. Eu. — Grown for the odd snail-like 

 pods, which are used as surprises. See the article Cat- 

 erpillars and Worms. 



BB. Plant perennial and u-oodi/. 



arbdrea, Linn. Tree Alfalfa. Moon Trefoil. Two 

 to 8 ft. tall, with hard black wood: Ifts. oval to obovate, 

 light green, toothed at the top : stipules linear-acute, 

 entire: fls. orange-yellow, in rather loose, axillary, pe- 

 duncled clusters: pod spiral, 2-:J-seeded. S. Eu. L.B.C". 

 14:13(9. — Offered as an ornamental plant in S. Calif. 



L. H. B. 



MEDICK. See Medieago. 



MEDINlLLA (after Jose de Medinilla y Pineda, 

 governor of the Ladrones). Melastnniihya . A genus of 

 98 species of tropical plants, mostly fnmi tlie East 

 Indies and Pacific islands. M. muriinilra i- cue of the 

 most gorgeous tropical plants in cultivation, and one of 

 the most desirable for amateurs who have hothouses. 

 It is a native of the Philippines. It has handsoiue 

 broad, shining, leathery foliage and coral-red, 5-petaIed 

 fls., each about 1 in. across, which are borne in pendu- 

 lous pyramidal panicles sometimes a foot long, and 

 bearing 100-150 fls. The axis and branches of the pani- 

 cle are pinkish, and the same color tinges the large, 

 showy bracts, which are sometimes 4 in. long. Hooker 

 says: "Its most beautiful state is, perhaps, before the 

 full perfection of the fls., when the large imbricated 

 bracts begin to s.|,arate and allow (lie hn.N t.. 1.,- par- 

 tially seen. As tin- cxpansLui of tli.- l.l..~s,,iiis ach iuins, 

 the upper bra.-ts fall uir, but the low.r .mc-s ivm.-iin .-iilI 

 become reflexed." This truly magnitirtut plant iIowlts 

 copiously when only 2 or :j ft. high, and a large well- 

 kept specimen in flower is a sight that is never to be 

 forgotten. The numerous long, bent, purple anthers, 

 with their yellow filaments, form an additional feature 

 of interest. 



Medinilla is distinguished from allied genera (none 

 of which has garden value) chiefly by the curious ap- 

 pendages of the stamens. The stamens are 8, 10 or 12, 

 the anterior connective, 2-lobed or 2-spurred, the pos- 

 terior one usually setose or 1-2-lobed or 1-spurred. 

 Medinillas are branching shrubs, erector climbing: Ivs. 

 mostly opposite or whorled, entire, fleshy: fls. white or 

 rose, with or without bracts, in panicles or cymes. 

 Cogniaux in DC. Mon. Phan. 7:572-G02 (1891). The 2 



