3 1 4 Plants and their Ways in South Africa 



AAAA. Stamens diadelphous. Ovary 2- to several-ovuled. 



B. Small herbs, erect or trailing, but not climbing. Leaves 

 3-, rarely 5- foliate. 



Trifolium. Calyx showy after flowering, concealing the 

 fruit. Keel joined to the wings. Flowers small, red, white, 

 or yellow, in dense spikes or heads. Leaves usually 3-foliate, 

 stipules joined to the petiole. Herbaceous annual or perennial. 

 The clovers belong to this genus. 



MedicagO. Legume not hidden, spirally coiled, often 

 provided with hooks. Keel free from the wings. Lucerne 

 belongs to this genus. 



FIG. 286. Branch of Medicago denticulata, FIG. 287. Twisted legume ot 



Willd. Lucerne {Medicago sativa, 



L.). (From Thom6 and 



Bennett's "Structural and 



Physiological Bo.any".) 



Indigofera. Flowers red, purple, or white. Standard 

 bent back. Keel with a spur at each side. Anthers with a 

 small point at the top. Pollen scattered by explosion. Leaves 

 imparipinnate, or 3 to many palmately compound. Legume 

 usually with partitions between the seed. Shrubs or annuals, 

 erect or procumbent. 



BB. Trees or shrubs. 



Sutherlandia. Standard shorter than the keel, wings very 



