PAPLIONACE^E. 



191 



3. Black Medick. Medicago lupulina, Linn. (Fig. 233.) 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 971. Nonsuch.) 



An annual, branching at the base into 

 spreading stems 1 to 2 feet long, and 

 more or less clothed with short, soft hairs. 

 Stipules broad and shortly toothed. Leaf- 

 lets obovate. Peduncles longer than the 

 leaves, bearing a compact raceme or ob- 

 long head of very small bright-yellow 

 flowers. Pods small, black when ripe, 

 glabrous or slightly hairy, kidney-shaped, 

 but marked with veins curved almost 

 into a complete spire, containing a single 

 seed. 



In pastures and waste places, through- 

 out Europe and central and Russian 

 Asia, except the extreme north, and of- 

 ten cultivated among "artificial grasses." 

 ing northern Scotland. FL the whole season. 



Frequent in Britain, except- 



4. Denticulate Medick. Medicago denticulata, Willd. 



(Fig. 234.) 



(Eng. Bot. Suppl. t. 2634.) 



An annual, branching at the base into 

 spreading stems from a few inches to 

 above a foot long, glabrous, or with a 

 very few appressed hairs. Stipules bor- 

 dered with fine teeth. Leaflets obovate 

 or obcordate. Flowers very small, in 

 little heads, on peduncles rather longer 

 than the leaflets. Pod spirally twisted, 

 formed of 2 or 3 loose, flat coils, ele- 

 gantly veined on the surface, and usually 

 edged with two rows of more or less 

 hooked or curved prickles, but not fur- 

 rowed between them. 



In cultivated and waste places, espe- 

 cially near the sea, very abundant in 

 the Mediterranean region and west cen- 

 tral Asia, and carried out with cultiva- 



Fig. 234. 



