53 8 FLORA. ^ 



leaves petioled. 3-foliolate, the leaflets obovate, acute, or mucronate-tipped, 5-15 mm. 

 long, entire; upper leaves sessile, often i-foliolate; stipules none ; flowers bright 

 yellow, nearly 2.5 cm. long, in elongated leafy racemes; pedicels solitary or 2-3 

 together, 5-15 nun. long; pod flat, glabrous on the sides, ciliate on the margins, 

 3-5 cm. long; style slender, at length spirally curved. In waste places, N. S. to 

 Va. Adv. or naturalized from Europe. Summer. 



10. MEDICAGO L. 



Herbs, with 3-foliolate leaves, and small yellow or violet flowers in axillary 

 heads or racemes. Leaflets commonly dentate, the veins terminating in the teeth. 

 Calyx-teeth short, nearly equal; standard obovate or oblong; wings oblong ; keel 

 obtuse; stamens diadelphous, the I opposite the standard separate from the other 9; 

 anthers all alike ; ovary i-several-ovuled; style subulate ; pod curved or spirally 

 twisted, reticulated or spiny, indehiscent, i-few-seeded. [Greek, Medike, from 

 Medea, whence the Medic, or Lucerne, was derived.] About 50 species, natives 

 of Europe, Asia and Africa. 



Perennial; flowers violet, conspicuous. 1. M. sativa. 

 Annual; flowers bright yellow, small. 



Pod i-seeded, curved, not spiny. 2. M. lufulina. 

 Pod several-seeded, spiny on the edges, spirally twisted. 



Pod loosely coiled, not furrowed on the edge. 3. M. denticulata. 



Pod densely coiled, its edge furrowed. 4. M. Arabica. 



1. Medicago sativa L. Furple Medic. Alfalfa. Lucerne. (I. F. f. 

 2064.) Decumbent or ascending, 3-5 dm. high, the young shoots and leaves with 

 some scattered hairs. Leaflets oblanceolate or obovate, 4-25 mm. long, dentate, 

 obtuse, truncate or emarginate and often mucronate, narrowed or cuneate at the 

 base; stipules entire; peduncles 1-5 cm. long, bearing a short raceme; petals about 

 5 mm. long; pod pubescent, twisted into 2 or 3 spires. In fields and waste places, 

 N. Eng. and Ont. to Minn., Va. and Kans. Much cultivated for fodder in the 

 Southern and Western States. Introduced from Europe. Summer. 



2. Medicago lupulina L. Black or Hop Medic. Blackseed Hop Clover. 

 Nonesuch. (I. F. f. 2065.) Pubescent, the branches decumbent and spreading, 

 often 3-6 dm. long; leaflets obovate, oval or nearly orbicular, sometimes 10-15 

 mm. long, denticulate or crenulate, obtuse, mucronate or emarginate; stipules 

 ovate or lanceolate, dentate; peduncles 3-8 cm. long; head oblong or cylindnc, 

 dense, 4-20 mm. long ; flowers about 2 mm. long; pods black when ripe, curved, 

 strongly veined. In fields and waste places, common nearly throughout our area. 

 Native of Europe and Asia. March-Dec. 



3. Medicago denticulata Willd. Toothed Medic. (I. F. f. 2066.) Branches 

 spreading or ascending, glabrous or with a few appressed hairs. Leaflets obovate. 

 rounded, emarginate or obcordate, cuneate, crenulate, 1-2 cm. long; stipules den 

 tate; flowers few, in small, peduncled heads; pod spirally twisted, the 2 or 3 coils 

 flat and rather loose, reticulated with elevated veins, the edges armed with I or 2 

 rows of curved prickles. In waste places and in ballast, N. S. to Penn. Also in 

 the Southern and Western States and on the Pacific Coast. Fugitive or adventive 

 from Europe. Summer. 



4. Medicago Arabica All. Spotted Medic. (I. F. f. 2067.) Resembling 

 the preceding species, but generally stouter. Leaflets often nearly 2.5 cm. long, 

 and with a dark spot or spots near the centre; pod globose, of 3 or 4 compactly 

 wound coils, reticulate-veined on the sides, the edge thicker and furrowed between 

 the marginal rows of curved prickles. In waste places and ballast. N. B. to 

 Penn. Also on the Pacific Coast. Fugitive or adventive from Europe. Summer. 



11. MELILOTUS Juss. 



Herbs, with 3-foliolate leaves, dentate leaflets, their veins commonly ending in 

 the teeth, and small white or yellow flowers in slender racemes. Calyx-teeth short, 

 nearly equal; Btandard obovate or oblong; keel obtuse; ovary sessile or stipitate. 

 few-ovuled; style filiform; pod ovoid or glolx>se, straight, indehiscent or finally 

 2-val\ed ; seeds solitary or few. [Greek, Honey-lotus.] About 20 species, na- 

 tives of Europe, Africa and Asia. 



