3O4 THE ALPINE FLORA 



A considerable number of other trefoils are found in 

 the Swiss mountains, of which the most important are 

 T. alpestre, a plant with soft hairs, stems 4-12 in., erect, 

 simple, bearing at the apex rosy-purple flowers in globose 

 heads, enclosed by 2 leaves, with downy calyx; T. mon- 

 tanum, reaching 16 in., with white flowers in globose 

 clusters, and oblong, finely serrate leaflets. Lastly T. 

 Badium and spadiceum, with yellow flowers, those of the 

 former in small, globose heads, of the second in cylindrical 

 heads; all are found almost everywhere in the alpine zone. 



Oxytropis 



A genus of low, almost sub-shrubby plants, whose 

 spreading, tufted branches hug the ground; the leaves 

 are composed of many opposite leaflets, with flowers 

 generally racemose, the calyx having five divisions, and 

 a keel that terminates abruptly in a small, soft point. The 

 best variety pyrenaica is not Swiss; the flowers of Jialleri 

 are of charming gentian blue. This last species seems in 

 England to prefer a dampish situation, whereas the ma- 

 jority like a well-drained, dry, open position among broken 

 limestone or gritty sand. The only method of propagation 

 is by seeds. The Swiss varieties are: 



0. montana (PL XXX). Root-stock short and branched, 

 emitting many, prostrate stems; leaves with 9-1 5 pairs of 

 oblong-ovate leaflets; flowers of purplish wine-rose, 

 shading to blue; pods swollen and reddish. July-August. 

 On rocky, sunny slopes of the Alps and southern Jura. 



0. campestris* (PL XXX). Downy plant, with leaves 

 of 10-20 pairs of leaflets, softly hairy, oblong-lanceolate; 

 flowers yellow, united 5-io in globose racemes. July- 

 August. The Alps in gravelly pastures and torrent-beds, 

 descending down to the valleys. 



