212 



NATURAL HISTORY OF PLANTS. 



Melilotus officinalis [Common Ilelilot). 



Trigonel (Fr., Trigonelle) has, like Medick and Clover, an obtuse keel 



and pinnate-trifoliolate leaflets ; 

 but the fruit is very variable in 

 form, being straight bowed or 

 sickle-shaped, sometimes thick 

 and beaked, sometimes narrow 

 or linear, or broad and flat- 

 tened. It opens into two valves 

 in certain species, into one in 

 others ; and may sometimes be 

 quite indehiscent. Parochetus has 

 an acute keel and a bivalve pod. 

 Finally, Rest-harrow {Ononis; 

 Fr., Bur/ ran c) has numerous points 

 of affinity with Genistea?, in which 

 series the genus has been placed 

 by several authors. But in the 

 form of the staminal filament, 

 and in the leaves and inflores- 

 cence, it comes near Trifoliecs. 

 The stamens are monadelphous 



and the pod opens into two 

 Fig. ISO. , 



Florlferous branch (|). ValVCS. 



VI. SAINFOIN. 



Hedysarum} (Fr., Sainfoin 11 ), has irregular resupinate hermaphro- 

 dite flowers. 3 On the edges of the little cup-shaped receptacle, lined 

 with glandular tissue, are inserted the perianth and androceum, while 

 the gynseceum springs from the bottom. The gamosepalous calyx 

 divides above into five subequal lobes or teeth, valvate or slightly 



1 T., Inst., 401, t. 225 (part/).— L., Gen., n., 

 887 (part.).— J., Gen., 362.— Gjertn., Fruct., \\. 

 t. 155. — Lamk., Diet., vi. 39b ; Suppl., v. 14 ; 

 III., t. 628. — Jattme, in Desvx. Journ. Bot., i. 

 61 (part.).— DC, Mem. Legum., 342; Prodr., 

 ii. 340.— Spach, Suit, a Buff on, i. 286.— Endl., 

 Gen., n. 6618. — Basiner, Enutn. Mon. Hedysar., 

 in Act. Pelrop. (1846).— B. H., Gen., 510, n. 



144. — Echinolobium Desvx., Journ. Bof., i. 123, 

 t. 5. 



2 [The English word Sainfoin is restricted to 

 the English plant Onobrychis sativa (Fr., Es- 

 parcette-Sai nj o i >i) . \ 



3 White, pink, purple, or violet; rarely 

 yellowish. 



