80 LEGUMINOS^E. [Medicago. 



to six-flowered, supported by a floral leaf. Flowers yellow, 

 rarely white or pink. Name ; supposed to be one of the three 

 kinds (the herbaceous] of the AIV-TO? of the Greeks. 



Diadelphia. Decandria. 



1. L. corniculatus, Linn. Common Bird' s-foot Trefoil. Heads 

 depressed, umbellate, 8 10 flowered; stems decumbent; leaf- 

 lets obovate; peduncles very long; claw of the standard in- 

 flated above. 



a. vulgaris ; every where glabrous or nearly so. L. cornicu- 

 latus, Linn. Br. Ft. 1. p. 332. E. Fl. v. iii. p. 312. E. Bot. 

 t. 2090. 



ft. villosus ; stem, leaves, and calyx clothed with very long 

 spreading hairs. 



Sandy fields, common. . moist bushy places at Dunran, County 

 of Wicklow. Fl. July, Aug. 1. 



2. L. major, Scop. Greater Bird's-foot Trefoil. Heads de- 

 pressed, umbellate, 8 10 flowered ; stems nearly erect, tubu- 

 lar; leaflets obovate; peduncles very long; claw of the stand- 

 ard narrow. Br. Fl. 1. p. 332. E. Fl. v. iii./?. 313. E. Bot. 

 t. 2091. 



Sides of ditches and moist bushy places, not uncommon ; plentiful 

 at Dunran, County of Wicklow. County of Derry ; Mr. D. Moore. 

 Fl. July, Aug. It. 



3. L. angustissimus, Linn. Slender Bird's-foot Trefoil. Vil- 

 lous. Flowers solitary or in pairs; their peduncles about twice 

 as long as the leaves ; leaflets ovato-lanceolate ; calyx-teeth 

 very long ; stems procumbent ; legumes very slender. Br. Fl. 

 1. p. 332. E. Fl. v. iii. p. 315. L. diffusus, E. Bot. t. 925. 



In meadows towards the sea, rare. Strand near Passage, County of 

 Cork; Mr. J. Drummond. FL May, June. 0, Flowers much 

 smaller, and general aspect very different from any of the preceding. 



10. MEDICAGO. Linn. Medick. 



Calyx, somewhat cylindrical, 5-cleft. Keel rather distant from 

 the vexillum. Stamens diadelphous. Pod many-seeded, 

 variable in form, always falcate or spirally twisted. Her- 

 baceous plants or shrubs. Stipules usually cut. Leaves stalked, 

 trifoliate ; leaflets toothed. Peduncles axillary, with 1, 2, or 

 many flowers. Flowers yellow or purple. Name ; the ^LKVJ 

 of the Greeks, so called, because it was introduced into 

 Greece by the Medes. Diadelphia. Decandria. 



1. M. sativa, Linn. Purple Medick or Lucerne. Clusters 

 upright; legumes spiral; stem erect, smooth. Br. Fl. 1. p. 

 333. E. Fl. v. iii. p. 317. E. Bot. t. 1749. 



Dry gravelly banks and pastures, naturalized. Fl. June, July. 1. 

 Plentiful at Portmarnock in sandy fields. This has purple flowers 

 and a spirally twisted pod. 



