FABACEAE. 



177 



1. Crotalaria retusa L. Eattle-box. 

 (Fig. 196.) Annual, stout. Stems l°-3° 

 high, usually branched, finely and softly 

 pubescent; leaflet one, ranging from 

 cuneate to oblanceolate, IV-^V long, 

 rounded or retuse at the apex, often gla- 

 brous above, more or less pubescent be- 

 neath, short-petioled; stipules minute; 

 racemes conspicuous, several-many-llow- 

 ered; pedicels 3"-5" long, subtended by 

 minute caducous bracts; calyx finely pubes- 

 cent; lobes of the upper lip triangular- 

 lanceolate, those of the lower lip lanceo- 

 late; corolla large, showy; standard with 

 a blade usually about 10" broad; pods 

 1^-2' long; seeds becoming loose in the 

 pods and rattling when dry. 



In a pasture, Walsingham, 1912. Ad- 

 veutive. Native of Florida, the West Indies 

 and continental tropical America. Flowers 

 in autumn and winter. 



3. MEDICAGO [Tourn.] L. 

 Herbs, with 3-foliolate leaves, and 



small yellow or violet flowers in axillary 



heads or racemes. Leaflets commonly 



dentate, the veins terminating in the teeth. 



Calyx-teeth short, nearly equal; standard 



obovate or oblong; wings oblong; keel obtuse; stamens diadelphous, the 



1 opposite the standard separate froin the other 9; anthers all alike; ovary 



1-several-ovuled ; style subulate ; pod curved 



or spirally twisted, reticulated or spiny, 



indehiscent, 1-few-seeded. [Greek, Medike, 



from Medea, whence the Medic, or Lucerne, 



was derived.] About 50 species, natives of 



Europe, Asia and Africa. Type species: 



Medicago sativa L. 



Pod 1-seeded, curved, not spiny. 



1. M. lupiilitia. 

 Pod several-seeded, spirally twisted, its edges 

 spiny. 2. .1/. hispida. 



1. Medicago lupulina L. Black or 

 Hop Medic. Blackseed Hop Clover. 

 Nonesuch. (Fig, 197.) Pubescent, the 

 branches decumbent and spreading, often 

 l°-2° long; leaflets obovate, oval or nearly 

 orbicular, 3"-7" long, denticulate or crenu- 

 late, obtuse, mucronate or emarginate ; 

 stipules ovate or lanceolate, dentate; pe- 

 duncles l'-3' long; head oblong, or cylin- 

 dric, dense, 2"-10" long; flowers about 1" 

 long, yellow; pods black when ripe, curved, 

 Ftrongly veined. 



grounds. Naturalized from Europe. Widely 

 Flowers nearly all the year around. 



Common in fields and 

 naturalized in North America 

 " Clover." 



waste 



Known as 



13 



