Melilotus. LEGUMINOS^. 171 



Banks of rivers ; common along the Mohawk ; rather rare in other parts of the State, and 

 not found to my knowledge below Hudson. Fl. June - August. Introduced from Europe. 



The plant, when dry, has an agreeable odor, much like that of the Sweet-scented Vernal- 

 grass {Anthoxanthum odoratum). It is said to be the chief ingredient used for flavoring the 

 Gruyere cheese. 



2. Melilotus leucantha, Koch. White MelUot. 



Stem erect ; leaflets ovate-oblong, truncate at the apex, mucronate, remotely serrate ; 

 racemes loose ; teeth of the calyx unequal, as long as the tube ; corolla (white) more than 

 twice the length of the calyx, the keel and wings shorter than the vexillum ; legumes ovoid, 

 wrinkled, 2-seeded. — DC. prodr. 2. p. 186; Hook, in Engl. bat. suppl. t. 2689; Torr. ^ 

 Gr.fl. N. Am. \.p. 321. M. vulgaris, Willd. enum. \.p. 190. M. officinahs, Pursh,fl. 2, 

 p. 477. M. oflicinalis, /3. alba, Nutt. gen. 2. p. 104. M. alba, Thuil. ; Eat. I. c. Tri- 

 folium officinale, P. Linn. 



Root biennial {DC). Stem 3-6 feet high, branching. Leaflets about an inch long, 

 sharply serrate. Flowers smaller than ia the preceding species. Legumes strongly wrinkled, 

 often one-seeded. Seeds ovoid. 



With M. officinalis, and flowering at the same time. It is a stouter plsuit, and easily dis- 

 tinguished by its yellow and smaller flower. Both are sweet-scented when dry. 



13. MEDIC AGO. Linn. ; Endl. gen. 6507. MEDlCK. 



[A name applied by the Greeks to one of the species of this genus, introduced into their country by the Medes.'] 



Calyx somewhat cylindrical, 5-cleft. Keel of the corolla remote from the vexillum. Style 

 smooth. Legume usually many-seeded, of various forms, falcate or spirally coiled. — 

 Herbaceous, or rarely shrubby plants. Leaves pinnately trifoliolate. Stipules often in- 

 cised, growing to the petiole. Peduncles axillary, 1 - 2- or several-flowered. Flowers 

 mostly yellow, sometimes purple or violet. 



1. Medicago sativa, Linn. Lucerne, Spanish Trefoil. 



Stem erect, smooth ; leaflets obovate-oblong, toothed above, mucronate ; flowers in oblong 

 racemes ; legumes spirally twisted, finely reticulated. — DC. prodr. 2. p. 173 ; Engl. bat. 

 t. 1479 ; Darlingt. jl. Cest. p. 405 ; Torr. ^ Gr. fl. N. Am. 1. p. 321. 



Root perennial. Stem 1-2 feet high, erect or oblique. Leaflets about an inch long, 

 pubescent underneath, the terminal one remote. Racemes on peduncles 6-10 lines long. 

 Flowers pedicellate, violet-purple. 



Fields and cultivated grounds ; scarcely naturalized. A native of Europe. June - July. 

 This species is much cultivated in the south of Europe as an herbage plant, and was once in 



22* 



