DICOTYLEDONS: ARCHICHLAMYDEJE 



293 



genus (Trifolium) containing many species. The most im- 



portant one to the farmer is the common red clover, afford- 



ing valuable pasturage and clover hay, and also improving 



the soil (77). The 



smaller white clover 



is also a very fa- 



miliar plant associ- 



ated with grasses 



in lawns, pastures, 



etc.; and its flow- 



ers are especially 



attractive to bees. 



Alfalfa (lucerne) is 



another important 



forage plant related 



to the clovers, and 



is especially valua- 



ble in the West 



where irrigation is 



employed. It is a 



native of western 



Asia, has long been 



cultivated in Eu- 



rope, and was in- 



troduced into Cali- 



f Omia abOUt the 

 middle Of the last 



century. Since then 

 it has become the most extensively grown forage plant in 

 the arid regions of the Pacific and Rocky Mountain States. 

 Besides the forage plants, the seeds of certain others are 

 very familiar as food. The cultivated peas are natives of 

 southern Europe and Asia, and have been cultivated for 

 many centuries. They are distinguished as garden peas and 

 field peas, the latter being rather a forage plant. The two 



FIG. 284. A sensitive plant, showing the inconspicu- 

 ous flowers with numerous stamens, and the sensi- 

 tive pinnately compound leaves. After MEYER 

 and SCHUMANN. 



