LEGL'MINIPERyE. 31 



SPECIES II.— M E L I L O T U S ALBA. Lam. 



Plate CCCXLII. 



Hook. <fe Am. Brit. Fl. ed. viii. p. 100. Berdh. Handbook Brit. Fl. p. 1G3. 



Fries, Sinn. Veg. Scand. p. 48. Koch, Syn. Fl. Germ, et llelv. ed. ii. p. 183. Gr. k Godr. 



Fl. de Fr. Vol. I. p. 402. 

 M. vulgaris, " WiUdr Wallruth, Sched. Crit. p. 393. JM. Man. Brit. Bot. ed. v. 



p. 76. 

 M. leucantha, Koch, ap. D. C. Fl. Fr. Vol. V. p. 5G4. Hook in Eng. Bot. Sup. 



No. 2GS9. 

 Trit'olium Melilotus officinalis, var. ft, Linn. Sp. Plant, ed. ii. p. 1078. 



Ptoot slightly thickened and elongated. Stem erect, branched 

 throughout. Racemes much elongated, ratlier lax, especially in 

 fruit. Corolla twice the length of the calyx. Standard longer 

 than the wings and keel, which are equal. Pod ovoid, slightly nar- 

 rowed at the base, shortly apiculate and acuminate at the apex, 

 distinctly reticulated with prominent raised veins on the sides, 

 which are quite glabrous. 



In waste places, particularly on railway-banks. Not un- 

 common, but apparently not permanently established in any of its 

 localities. 



[England, Scotland, Ireland.] Biennial. Late Summer and 

 Autumn. 



This plant differs from M. officinalis by its more slender root and 

 stem, which, however, attains as great a height ; by its more slender 

 and lax racemes, smaller flowers, which are about j inch long, 

 and white. The pods are also smaller, ^ inch long, less distinctly 

 stipitate, and less enlarged towards the apex, with a much more 

 distinct network of veins on the faces, and destitute of the 

 adpressed hairs which more or less thickly clothe those of M. 

 officinalis. 



The standard exceeding the corolla and wings, \vhich are of 

 equal length, will sufiiciently distinguish the flower even in a dried 

 state. 



As Willdenow describes his JNI. vulcaris as having the wings 

 longer than the keel, though shorter than the standard, it is most 

 probable that his plant belongs to a white variety of the following 

 species. 



TFkite Melilot. 



French, Melilot Blanc. German, Weisscr Sleiiiklee, 



