PAPILIONACE^. 163 



upper ones nan-ower, often linear. Flowers numerous, 2 or 3 lines long, 

 of a bright yellow, in long, axillary racemes. Pod oval, about 2 lines long, 

 obtuse or pointed, marked with irregularly netted veins. 



On roadsides, banks and • busliy places throughout Europe and central 

 and Russian Asia, except the extreme north. Not frequent in Britain, and 

 only as an introduced plant, excepting in southern England, and perhaps 

 Ireland. Fl. summer. 



2. Field Melilot. Melilotus arvensis, Willd. 



(Eng. Bot. Suppl. t. 2690.) 



Very near the common M., and perhaps a mere variety. It is usually 

 smaller, seldom attaining 2 feet, the leaflets rather broader, and the racemes 

 looser, with fewer flowers, but the only positive distinction is in the fruit, 

 which is smaller, more like that of the white M., and marked with trans- 

 verse wrinkles. In flower only it is often impossible to distinguish it from 

 the common M. 



In cultivated and waste places, in central and southern Em-ope. In 

 Britain, only observed in some of the eastern comities of England. Fl. sum- 

 mer. The species requires further investigation. 



3. TVhite Melilot. Melilotus alba, Lam. 

 {M. leucantha, Eng. Bot. Suppl. t. 2689. M. vulgaris, Brit. Fl.) 



Very like the common M., but usually of taller growth and longer dura- 

 tion, with a harder, more wiry stem, and narrower leaflets, and the flowers 

 always white. Pod variable, but usually smaller and more obtuse than in 

 the common M., with the transverse wrinkles oi the field M. 



As widely spread as the common M. over continental Europe and Asia, 

 and more abundant in the south, where it becomes a troublesome weed in 

 fields and vineyards. Occasionally found in many parts of England, Ireland, 

 and Scotland, but probably introduced with corn or ballast. Fl. rather late 

 in summer. 



Vn. TRZGONEI.. TRIGONELLA. 



Herbs, with the habit and most of the characters of MedicTc, but difTering 

 from that genus by the straight or but slightly curved pod, and from Clover 

 by the pod much longer than the calyx, and opening in two valves. 



The true Trigonels or Fenvgreelcs are all exotic, and widely spread over 

 southern Europe, Asia, and Austraha. The only British species is some- 

 what anomalous, approaching in many respects to Clover, with whicli it 

 was associated by the older botanists, and recently proposed as a distinct 

 genus under the name of Aporanthes. It requires further comparison with 

 some exotic species, as yet but little known, before the question can be 

 decided. 



1. Bird's-foot Trigonel. Trigonella ornithopodioides, DC. 



{TrifoUum, Eng. Bot. t. 1047.) 

 A little annual, with thickly matted spreading stems, rarely more than 2 

 or 3 inches long, and usually glabrous. Leaflets inserted close together at 

 the summit of the stalk, obovate or obcovdate, and toothed. Flowers small, 

 nearly white, solitary or 2 or 3 together in each axil, the lower ones nearly 

 sessile, the upper ones on stalks of 2 to 4 or even 5 lines long. Calyx-teeth 



