LEGUMINOS^: 



THE FLOWERS: borne on the twigs of the preceding season, 

 the arrangement of the twigs appearing like racemes; 

 butterfly-shaped, solitary on the ends of very short stems; 

 bracted at the base; the calyx a little shorter than the 

 petals, with two minute bracts. 



THE FRUIT: a compound pod, scarcely longer than the 

 calyx, two-seeded 



There is little danger of confusing the Gorse with any 

 other shrub, nor is there likelihood of forgetting the sight 

 when one has seen the clumps of dark green, spiny bushes, 

 covered with delicate yellow flowers that look as if a flock 

 of tiny, golden butterflies had lighted there. When the 

 prickly bushes are not in bloom, the sombreness of their 

 dull greyish-green among the brighter greens and browns 

 of the pine woods are interestingly sober. 



Nantucket is the northern limit. 



LEGUMINOS^: PULSE FAMILY 



Trifolium agrarium, L. 

 Yellow Hop Clover, 



Yellow Clover. 

 June-August 



Trifolium: Latin for three-leaved. 

 Agrarium: Latin for a field. 



THE PREFERRED HABITAT: dry, sandy soil of the Commons 

 and by roadsides. 



THE PLANT: six to eighteen inches high; branched; the 

 stem hairless or with a few short hairs. 



THE LEAVES: numerous; alternate; generally palmately 

 three-divided, the leaflets ovate or oblong ; smooth on both 

 surfaces, rounded or cut off short at the apex, narrowed 

 at the base, with fine teeth. 



THE FLOWERS: in large, oblong or oval heads, the lower 

 opening first becoming shriveled and brown when old, 

 persistent. 



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