74 THE FLORA OF THE ALPS 



The two commonest English species of Melick M. 

 Lupulina, L., and minima, Desr. are common in grassy 

 situations. Others have been introduced, including M. 

 sativa, L., Lucerne, with larger violet flowers. M. 

 falcata, L., a partially erect plant with violet-yellow 

 flowers and sickle-shaped legume, grows by road-sides 

 or in meadows. M. suffruticosa, Ram., a pubescent 

 plant, 2-8 in. high, with rather large yellow flowers, 

 round or obovate leaflets, and half-arrow-shaped stipules, 

 is found in rocky sub-alpine situations in Pyrenees. 



9. MELILOTUS, Tourn. 



Flowers small, yellow or white, in long axillary 

 racemes; filaments diadelphous; legume short, straight, 

 few-seeded. Not alpine. 



M. alba, Desr. (vulgaris, Willd.), with white flowers, 

 is a very common plant by road-sides. M. officinalis, 

 Desr. (arvensis, Wallr.), Melilot, and altissima, Thuill., 

 with yellow flowers, are also widely distributed. 



10. TRIFOLIUM, L. 



Flowers usually in round umbel-like spikes or racemes, 

 containing honey ; petals united into a long tube ; legume 

 small, straight, few-seeded. 



Most of the English species of Trefoil are Swiss ; there 

 are also some alpine species. 



A. Flowers purple or nearly white, changing to 

 pink. 



The following are English : T. pratense, L., Red 

 Clover; T. medium, L., with larger green stipules; T. 



