PEA FAMILY 



flowers small, yellow, sub-sessile, in dense oblong heads ; pods 

 black, kidney-shaped, i-seeded. Resembling some of the smaller^ 

 Clovers, from which it may be distinguished by its pods not being 

 enclosed within the calyx. In pastures ; common. — Fl. June — 

 August. Annual or biennial. 



5. M. denticuldta (Toothed Medick). — A glabrous species; 

 leaflets inversely heart-shaped ; stipules jagged ; flowers yellow, 

 solitary, or 2 — 5 together \ pods in 2 or 3 loose spiral coils, with 

 a double row of spines. — Sandy places ; rare. — Fl. April — August. 

 Annual. 



6. M. ardbica (Spotted Medick). 

 — A glabrous species ; leaflets in- 

 versely heart-shaped, with a purple 

 heart-shaped spot in the centre; 

 stipules toothed ; flowers yellow, 

 solitary, or 2 — 4 together ; pods in 

 2 — 6 compact spiral coils, with a 

 double row of spines, forming a 

 prickly ball. — On gravelly soil in 

 the south and west of England ; 

 not uncommon. In Cornwall, 

 under the name of Spotted Clover, 

 this plant is considered very in- 

 jurious to pasturage. — Fl. May — 

 September. Annual. 



7. M. minima (Little Bur- 

 Medick). — A downy prostrate 

 species ; leaflets inversely egg- 

 shaped ; stipules slightly toothed ; 



flowers yellow, solitary, or 2 — 6 

 together ; pods in 4 or 5 compact 

 spiral coils, with a double row of 

 spines.-Sandy places; rare.-Fl. 



May— July. Annual. {Common Yellow Melilot). 



7. Melil6tus (Melilot). — Tall, annual or biennial, fragrant 

 herbs, with leaves as in the preceding genera ; small, drooping, 

 yellow or white floivers in long racemes ; calyx 5-toothed ; stamens 

 diadelphous ; pods short, straight, indehiscent. (Name of Greek 

 origin, from meli, honey, and lotos, the plant so called.) 



1. M. altissima (Common Yellow Melilot). — An erect, branched, 

 slightly woody plant, 2 — 3 feet high ; leaflets light green, linear- 

 ovate, toothed; flowers small, yellow, in long, erect, i-sided 

 racemes ; pods compressed, ovoid, acute, hairy, black when ripe, 



