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The BUR TITY sie BIBI RIB A 
3&3 
der pedicles rifing from the bofoms of the 
leaves. 
The feed-vefféls ate ftiiall and twifted. 
It is a native of the warmer parts of Europe, 
and flowers in May. 
All authors call it Medica fativa, and Fenun 
Burgundicum. 
The name /ucérne, now applied to this plants 
was at one time given by the French to the cock{- 
head, and its former name faintfoin was given to 
this. . There is no faying which is right, for 
both are arbitrary ; and it is not eafy to difcover 
which was the original application. 
The antients were very fond of this plant as 
fodder for their cattle. We, iead with aftonith- 
ment the pains they beftowéd upon its culture. 
From the antient the knowledge travelled to the 
modern Italy, and thence to Ftance and Flanders: 
of very late years we have got into the ufe of it 
in England ; and it is one of the greateft of the 
modern improvements in hufbandty. 
It is a rich and excellent food for all kinds of 
cattle. 
The common wild.medicas poflefs in geneial the 
fame qualities, but in an inferior degree. They 
enrich paftures wherein they grow; and a good 
ufe might be made of them, by fcattering the 
feeds among the grafs in grounds not very fertile. 
2, Snail-Trefoil. 
Medica fruciu cochleato levi. 
The foot is long, flender; and furnifhéd with 
humerous fibres. 
The firft leaves are placed on fmall foot- 
ftalks, and grow, as in the others, three on each : 
they are oblong, moderately broad, fharp-pointed, 
ferrated at the edges; and of a livély green. 
The ftalks are numerous; flender; branched, a 
foot or more in length; but not very upright, 
The flowers ftand on flender footftalks tifing 
from the bofoms of the leaves, and they are yel- 
low. ; 
The feed-veffel is very large, fitiooth, of 4 pale 
green, and twifted in the manner of a {nail; 
The feeds are few and large. : 
It is a native of Italy. We fow it in gardens 
for the fingularity of the fruic. . 
C. Bauhine calls it Trifolitm cochleatum frufin 
rotundiore. 
3. Caterpillar-Trefoil. 
Meilica frifin convoluto afperd. 
The root is long, flender, and hung with 
inany fibres. 
The ftalks are numerous, weak, flender, 
branched, and a foot or mote in length. 
The leaves ftand thick upon them, three at 
each joint, on a long, flender footftalk : they are 
fhort, broad, obtufe, and of a fomewhat oval 
form, but inverted; or with the fmaller part 
below. 
N° 34. 
The flowers are little and yellow. . 
The feed -vefféls are large, twirled about, and 
tough ; fo that they have the appedrance of 4 
Steen, hairy caterpillar rolled up., 
Ic is a native of the Eaft; and of the warmer 
patts of Kurope. We keep it in gardens. 
C. Bauhine calls it Trifolitm fruéu comprefje 
Jpinis horrido. 
From this and the former fp 
of our gardeners has raifed 
rieties, which have been 
diftingt. fpecies, 
but Linneus is j 
fide. He rightly te 
ecies the induftry 
a vaft many va- 
defcribed by many ag 
This is the common error : 
n the extremé on the other 
trenches many ; but he makes 
both thefe and the common wild kind the 
faine fpecies. This is plainly an etror; becaufé 
the form of the leaves, as well as the fruit, 
differ; 
4. Moon-Tiefoil; 
Medica Jfiliquis: lunatis, 
The root is long and fender, and has very few 
fibres. ‘ 
The ftalks are numerous, weak, and of a pale 
green: they are a foot high, and branched. 
The leaves have long, flender pedicles ; three 
ftand on éach: they are oblong, broad; dented, 
and of 4 fine green. 
The flowers are finall and yellow: they ftand 
on fhort; fmall footftalks in the bofoms of the 
leaves, : : 
The feed-veffel is broad, flat, and notched at 
the edges : it is turned round; fo that it repre- 
fents a new mooh. The feeds are few and brown: 
It is found about the edges of vineyards in 
Italy. ; : : 
C. Bauhine calls it Trifolium Jiliqta foliata: 
Others; Trifolium lunatum. — 
5. Stubby Moon-Tiefoil. 
Medica filiqnis hinatis fritefcens, 
The root is woody; long, divided, and fptead: 
ing. 
The ftem alfo is woody, tough; and very much 
branched : the trunk is covered with a grey barks 
but the twigs are green or greyith. 
The leaves ftand on long footftalks,; three upon 
each : they are oblong, obtufe, and largeft at the 
ends; and are of a greyifh green. ‘ 
The flowers grow three together ufually on 
flender footftalks; and they are fmall and yellow; 
The feed-veffel is flat, and turned round in 
form of a ctefcent ; but it is fmooth on the edge, 
not nicked as the preceding, 
The feeds are large, angulated, and brown. 
It is a native of the Eaft, and flowers in 
Auguft. 
Authors have miftaken its proper genus : they 
have in general ranged it among the cytifi. 
C. Bauhine calls it Oytifus incanus Siliquis foliatis, 
Lobel, Cytifus maranta ; a name copied by moft 
others. 
4L GENUS 
