210 LEGUMINOS^. [Medicago. 



EtawaK dist. and Bundelkhand. Disteib. G. India ; also in Afghanistan, 

 Egypt, Nubia and S. Africa. 



5. T. corniculata, Linn. Syst. ed. X, 1180. Boxh. Fl. Ind. in, 389; 

 W- Sf A. Prod. 196 ; F. B. I. ii, 88. T. fimbriata, Boyle 111. 197. T. 

 esculenta, Willd, ; Boyle I. c. 



A smooth mucli-branched suberect annual, 1 ft. or more high. Stijpules 

 toothed, points setaceous ; leaflets -g-f in. long, obovate, cuneate, faintly 



, incise-dentate. Flowers 6-12, in close racemes ; peduncles exceed- 

 ing the leaves, awned at the tip. Calyx-teeth shorter than the tube. Pod 

 |-| in., narrow, falcately recurved, acute, glabrous and marked with 

 close transverse veins, 4-8- seeded. 



Gwalior (Maries). Distbib. Lower Bengal, W. Himalaya up to 12,000 ft.; 

 extending through Afghanistan to S. Europe. 



6. MEDICAGO, Linn. ; Fl. Brit. Ind. ii, 89. 



Herbs, rarely shi-ubs. Zectye* pinnately 3-foliolate ; leaflets toothed. 

 CalyX'tuhe campanulate, teeth Siibequal, Corolla inore or less 

 exserted, free from the staminal tube ; standard and loings 

 oblong ; heel s'raight, obtuse. Stamens 2-adelphoiiS, filaments 

 filiform, anthers uniform. Otmry sessile, usually many-ovuled ; 

 style short, little incurved, stigma oblique. Fod usually spirally 

 twisted, rarely sickle-shaped, many-seeded (1-seeded in M. Iwpu- 

 lina), indehiscent, unarmed maricate or spinous. — Species upwards 

 of 50, chiefly Mediterranean. 



To this genus belongs the well-known fodder-plant called lucerne or 

 alfafa (M. sativa, L.)j which, according to M. DeCandolle (L' Orig. 

 PL Cult. 81), is a native of W. temperate Asia. It is also found 

 apparently wild on the Western Himalaya, and in Afghanistan and 

 Baluchistan. It is now extensively grown in many parts of India, 

 and affords excellent forage for horses and cows, if given in modera- 

 tion. Although naturally a plant bt'longing to the temperate zone, it 

 is able by means of its vigorous tap-root to withstand the fierce heat 

 of an Indian summer. For information regarding its history and 

 cultivation Dr. Watt's Dictionary article should be consulted, also a 

 note by Mr. Mollison, published in the Agricultural Ledger No. 18 

 (1893). 



Pod unarmed, 1-seeded . . . . 1. M. lupuUna. 



Pod bordered with spines, seeds many . 2. M. denticulata, 



1. M. lupulina. Linn. 8p. PI. 779 ; Boyle III. 197 : F. B. I. ii, 90 ; 

 Watt E. D. (Black Medic k). 



A trailing biennial herb with finely do<vny stems, 1 ft. or more long ; 

 stipules toothed, with lanceolate acuminate points ; leaflets obovate 

 faintly incise-crrmate ; base deltoid, entire. Flowers Yevy small, yellow 



