Mr. C. Babington on the British Species of Lotus. 263 



differ from so excellent a botanist, but am of opinion that 

 those are not sufficient differences upon which to found a 

 species in this genus. The plant is more slender in all its 

 parts, but I have not been able to detect any differences in 

 structure except those mentioned in the description. 



2. L. major. Scop. {Cam. 2. 86.) Vexilli ungue lineari, calycis 

 apicibus ante anthesin in Stella dispositis, laciniis e basi trian- 

 gulari subulatis tubum suum subsequantibus et corolla multo 

 brevioribns 2 superioribus divergentibus, leguminibus e sutura 

 superiori rostratis, capitulis 8 — 12-floris, foliolis obovatis, sti- 

 pulis ovato-rotundatis insequalibus. 

 a. vulgaris, pilosus, caulibus erectiusculis. Eng. Bot. t. 2091. 

 /3. glabriusculus, glaber, foliolorum stipularum bractearum sepalo- 

 rumque marginibus et nervis exceptis quae longh cUiatae sunt, caulibus 

 erectis vel procumbentibus. 



Root strong, perennial. Stems erect or ascending 1 — 3 feet 

 high, clothed with long spreading hairs, in ^ glabrous, hollow. 

 Leaflets obovate, obtuse, or pointed, covered both above and 

 below with long scattered hairs, in /3 the hairs are confined 

 to the margins and nerves. Stipules orbicular or short ovate, 

 very minutely serrated, hairy like the leaves. Peduncles very 

 long. Bractea ovate, the lateral one slightly unequal. Pedi- 

 cels very short, 8 — 12 together. Calyx segments about as 

 long as their own tube, longer than that of the corolla, acute, 

 their tips spreading like a star before the expansion of the 

 bud, the tips of the two upper ones never converging, their 

 interstice forming an acute angle. Flowers yellow, claw of 

 the standard Hnear and longitudinally vaulted. Pods hnear, 

 terete, straight, having a long setaceous straight rostrum 

 springing from the upper suture. Seeds numerous, minute. 



Frequent in damper places than the last, but sometimes found in 

 very dry places. 



The Rev. Dr. Beche, late Dean of Bristol, was I believe 

 the first botanist who noticed the valuable character drawn 

 from the stellate tips of the calyx, by which this species may 

 at all times be distinguished from L. corniculatus. From 

 laying too much stress upon the presence or absence of hairs 

 as a specific distinction between these plants, several botanist§ 



