4 BULLETIN 844, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



STRUCTURE OF THE FLOWERS OF MELILOTUS ALBA. 



The racemes of Melilotus alba contain from 10 to 120 flowers with 

 an average of approximately 50 per raceme for all of the racemes of 

 a plant growing under cultivation in a field containing a good stand. 



Fig. 1. — Different parts of the flower of Melilotus alba: 1, Side view of the flower; 2, side view of the flower 

 with the carina and alse slightly depressed; 3, side view of the flower, showing the carina and alse de- 

 pressed sufficiently to expose the stamina! tube and the tenth free stamen; 4, ala; 5, alse and carina 

 spread apart to show their relative position and shape; 6, flower after the petals have been removed, 

 showing in detail the calyx and staminal tube; 7, the staminal tube split open to show the relative size 

 and position of the pistil, a, Alse; 6, vexillum; c, carina; d, calyx; e, stigma; 6, anthers; g, tenth free 

 stamen; h, digitate process of the superior basal angle of an ala; i, depressions! in the ala; j, staminal 

 tube; fc, pistil. 



The flower consists of a green, smooth, or slightly pubescent calyx 

 with 5-pointed lobes and with an irregular white corolla of five petals. 

 (Fig. 1.) The claws of the petals are not united nor are they attached 

 to the staminal tube which is formed by the union of the filaments of 

 the nine inferior stamens. As the claws of the alse and carina are not 



