318 



THE KINDS OF PLANTS 



a. Flowers sessile in the dense heads. 



T. pratGnse, Linn. Common red clover. Fig. 82. Erect, 1-2 ft., with 

 oval or obovate leaflets which have a pale spot or band near the center and 

 usually a notch at the end: flowers rose-red, honey-sweet, the 

 heads closely surrounded by leaves. Europe, but common every- 

 where in the North. 



T. medium, Linn. Medium red clover. Larger, the stem less 

 straight, the leaflets oblong, entire and with a spot: head stalked 

 above the uppermost leaves. Otherwise like the last. 



468. 



Trifolium 



incarnatum. 



aa. Flowers short-stalked in the heads. 



T, hybridum, Linn. Alsike clover. Slender, from a prostrate 

 base, 1-3 ft. : leaflets obcordate : head small and globular, light 

 rose-colored. Europe. 



T. repens, Linn. White clover. Small, the stems long-creep- 

 ing and sending up flowering stems 3-12 in. 

 high: leaflets obcordate: heads small, white. 

 Common; native, also European. 



T. incarnatum, Linn. Crimson clover. 

 Fig. 468. Stout, hairy, erect plant, 1-2% ft., with ob- 

 ovate-oblong leaflets and brilliant crimson flowers in a 

 long stalked head. Europe; now frequently cultivated. 



5. MELILOTUS. Sweet Clover. 



Tall erect annuals or biennials, with sweet-scented 

 herbage and small white or yellow flowers in numerous 

 open racemes: leaflets 3, oblong: pod ovoid, somewhat 

 exceeding the calyx, 1-2-seeded. 



M. alba, Linn. White sweet clover. Bokhara 

 clover. Two to 5 ft. tall, smooth : leaflets truncate: 

 flowers white, the standard longer than other petals. 

 Europe ; common on roadsides. 



M. officinalis, Linn. Yellow sweet clover. Fig. 469. 

 Leaflets obtuse : flowers yellow. Less common than 

 the other. 



6. MEDICAGO. Medick. 



469. Melilotus alba. 



Clover-like plants with small flowers in heads or 

 short spikes and toothed leaflets : particularly dis- 

 tinguished by the curved or coiled pod. 



M. sativa, Linn. Alfalfa. Lucerne. Fig. 470. 

 Erect perennial, with ovate-oblong leaflets and short 

 spikes or dense racemes of blue-purple flowers. Eu- 

 rope, but grown for forage. 



M. lupullna, Linn. Hop clover. Black medick. 

 Trailing clover-like plant, with obovate leaflets and yellow flowers in heads 

 or very short spikes: pod black when ripe. Europe; common weed East. 



470. Medicago sativa. 



