PEA FAMILY 



pearance quite unlike anything which can be seen in 

 any other part of the United States." 



The leaf of this plant is a sort of botanical puzzle, 

 it is called a compound leaf of a single leaflet, which 

 seems a contradiction in terms. But if you look at 

 this petiole under a glass, it is very clear that there 

 is a joint, and this indicates that the leaf is indeed 

 compound, but that all the leaflets have aborted save 

 one. 



CLOVER 



Trifdlium 



Trifolium, Latin, referring to the three leaflets. 



A genus of herbs, most abundant in the north temper- 

 ate zone, containing, according to records, about two 

 hundred and fifty species. With us a half-dozen of these 

 are in bloom all summer. Tnree are very generally 

 known. 



Roots. — Fibrous tap-roots, supporting bacteria which 

 are capable of fixing the nitrogen of the atmosphere. 



Leaves. — Alternate, three-foliate; stipules grown fast 

 to the petiole. All Clover-leaves change position more 

 or less at night. 



Flowers. — Of papilionaceous type borne in dense heads. 

 Standard, wings, and keel of each floret are grown to- 

 gether by claws into a tube and this unites with the 

 stamen tube. 



Calyx. — Tube with five, nearly equal teeth, hairy. 



Corolla. — Papilionaceous, persistent; turns brown, but 

 remains. 



Stamens. — Ten in two groups — nine and one. The 

 single stamen often separates for only half its length. 



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