278 DIAUELPHIA — DKCANDUIA. [Loins. 



of England and the Continent, have satisfied me that Dillenius' plant in 

 Jlai/, t. 14. y. 4, is onl}-^ a starved state of the commoner appearance of 

 T.fili forme, and the same as the var. microphylluin of Seringe in De 

 Candolle. The E. Bot. T.filiforme is a little more luxuriant, and in- 

 termediate states maybe seen between it and the acknowledged T.fili- 

 foriiic of continental writers. Mr W. Wilson, however, considers them 

 distinct. In all, the floweis are pedicellated, and in the few-flowered 

 varieties the pedicels are more evident, and thus appear more truly race- 

 mose. 



21. Lotus. Linn. Bird's-foot-tref'oil. 



1. L. corniculdtiis^ L. [common Bird' s-foot-trrfoil) ; heads de- 

 pressed umbellate 8 — 10- flowered, stems deciunbent, leaflets ob- 

 ovate, peduncles very long, claw of the standard inflated above. 

 — a. vulgaris ; every wliere glabrous or nearly so. L. cornicula- 

 tus, L. — I^. Sot. t. 2090. — ;3. villosiis ; stem, leaves, and calyx 

 clothed with very long spreading hairs. Z. corniculatus, y. DC. 

 Prod. V. ii. p. 214. 



Pastures every witere, abundant /3. rare. Higham, Kent. Budlei<i:h. 



Salterton, Dr Loydd. Sandgate. Fl. July, Aug. 1^. — The var. /3. is a 

 very remarkable one, (the vdlosus of Thuillier's Flora of Paris) and at least 

 as deserving of being considered a distinct species as the two following. 



2. L. tenuis, Waldst. et Kit. [slender Bird' s-foot-lref oil) ; heads 

 depressed umbellate (3 — 10-flowered, stems prostrate slender, 

 leaflets lanceolate, peduncles very long, claw of the standard in- 

 flated above. Borr. et Hook, in E. Bot. Siippl. t. 2615. — L. 

 corniculatus, var. tenuifolius. Poll. — L. decumbens, Forst. Tunb. 

 86. E. Fl. V. 'in. p. 2615 L. dejjressus et huniifusus, Willd. 



Dry and waste places, in man^' parts of England and Scotland. Fl. 

 .Tul^'.ll!. — I am really unable to point out any marks by which this may 

 be known from the preceding, except its more slender and straggling habit, 

 and narrower foliage. It is by no means an uncommon plant. 



3. L. major, ^co^. (narroiv-leaved Bird' s-foot-trefoil) ; heads 

 depressed umbellate 8 — 10-flowored, stems nearly erect tubular, 

 leaflets obovate, peduncles very long, claw of the standard nar- 

 row. E. Bot. t. 2091.— Z. comic, y. Fl. Br. jj. 794. 



Sides ol ditches and moist bush^^ places, by no means unfrequent. 

 Fl. July, Aug, %. — The place of growth of this plant, in moister situa- 

 tions than L. corniculatus, consequently inducing a greater development 

 of every part, is I think, in itself, almost sufficient to account for the 

 trifling variations which are said to distinguish it from that well-known 

 species. The difference of breadth in their filaments, mentioned by Smith, 

 Mr Wilson finds not to be constant. L. corniculatus, he adds, " seems to 

 be characterised chiefly by the vaulted or gibbous a|)|jearance of the upper 

 part of the claw of the standard, \\\nc.\\ raises up the two teeth of the calyx 

 above." But is this mark constant ? Smith says the claw of the standard 

 of our present plant " though linear, is vaulted." Mr Borrer dwells much 

 on the " decided character" in the calyx of L. major, pointed out by Dr 

 Beeke in Bot. Guide, p. 328, viz. that " its teeth are always dive?-(/ent 

 from their Jirst visible formation." In several of my specimens of L. 

 comic, the calycine teeth are as divergent as in any of Z. major. I pos- 

 aess a very hairy state of this plant, gathered in Ireland. 



