HORTUS GRAMINEUS WOBURNENSIS. 323 



From Poa annua and all other species, is to be drawn from the 

 branches of the panicle ; these, as the plant goes out of bloom, are 

 reflected, or stretched out backwards, so as sometimes to touch 

 the culm ; this is effected by little tubercles at the base of the 

 branches on their upper side only, which increasing in size as the 

 plant advances in its flowering, forces them backwards.* Mr. Cur- 

 tis further informs us, that six years' culture made no alteration in 

 the appearance of this grass, and that there did not appear to be 

 sufficient merit in it to recommend it for agricultural purposes. 



The results of the above experiments confirm the opinion ex- 

 pressed by Mr. Curtis, and rank the reflexed meadow-grass with 

 the most inferior of the British grasses. It is chiefly, though not 

 exclusively, confined to maritime situations. It was found by 

 Mr. Curtis, in 1786, among the grassy herbage, on the right hand 

 of the horse-road leading up the hill of Hampstead, in tolerable 

 plenty. 



It flowers about the end of May when cultivated in warm situa- 

 tions, and continues to send up flowering culms till the middle of 

 September. The seed is generally ripe in about six weeks after 

 the time of flowering. 



MEDIC AGO lupulina. Black Nonsuch, Trefoil Medick. 



Trifolium pratense luteum. Fuchs. Hist. 819. 



Trifolium luteum lupulinum. Ger. emac. 1186, 5. 



Trifolium montanum lupulinum. Park. Theat. 1105, 6. 



Melilotus minus. Brunf. 4. 



Melilotus minima. Rivin. tetr. t. 8. 



Specific character : Spikes oval ; seed-vessel kidney-shaped, with 

 one cell and one seed ; stems trailing. 



Obs. Stems trailing, unless supported by the plants with which 

 it grows ; about a foot long, somewhat angular, slightly hairy, 

 branched. Leaves obovate, or wedge-shaped, toothed towards 

 the top, the mid-rib lengthened out to a short broad point, 

 soft, pubescent, particularly on the under side. Flowers 

 small, yellow, from thirty to forty, and upwards, in a head 

 which is at first roundish, afterwards oval. Legume striated 

 and wrinkled, somewhat hisped with rigid hairs, turning black 

 when ripe. Seed ovate, smooth, yellowish. Curtis; Wood- 

 ward ; Wither. Arr. ; E. Bot. 971 ; F. Dan. 992. This plant 



* Curt. Lornl. fasc. 6, 1. 1. 



