PEA FAMILY. 



313 



Edge of the pod keeled, not grooved between the prickles; leaflets not 

 splotched 3. M. dtnticulata. 



Edge of the pod furrowed between the prickles; leaflets with a large 



inky splotch on the upper face 4. M. maculata. 



Pod several-seeded, spirally coiled, unarmed 5. M. apiculata. 



1. M. sativa L. Alfalfa. Lucern. Perennial from an elon- 

 gated taproot, erect and smooth; leaflets oblong-obovate or linear- 

 oblong, 8 to 10 lines long; flowers blue (5 lines long), in racemes; 

 pod spirally twisted so as to form 2 or 3 complete rings or coils. 



Borders of fields, not common beyond cultivation. 



2. M. lupulina L. Nonesuch. Black Medick. Branching from 

 the base into spreading procumbent stems 9 to 18 in. long; leaflets 

 orbicular and more or less deltoid to cuneate-obovate, 4 to G lines 

 long; peduncles longer than the leaves (1 to 1$ in. long), bearing a 

 short dense spike of bright yellow flowers; pods reniform, 1-seeded, 

 black when ripe. 



Uncommon: Santa Clara Co.; Berkeley. Apr. -May. 



3. M. denticulata Willd. Bur Clover. Branches spreading or 

 procumbent, from a few in. to 2 ft. long; herbage nearly glabrous; 

 leaflets obovate or obcordate; stipules finely toothed; peduncles 3 to 

 5-flowered, rather longer than the leaves; pods twisted into a spiral of 

 2 or 3 turns, compressed, reticulated, the thin keeled edge bordered 

 by a double row of more or less hooked or curved prickles. 



Very common throughout California, especially on the plains, low 

 hills and in the valleys. Mar.-June, but flowering in moist places at 

 nearly all seasons. 



4. M. maculata Willd. Spotted Medick. Very similar to the 

 last species, but the petioles with spreading hairs, the leaflets usually 

 much larger (1 in. long) and with a conspicuous dark splotch in the 

 center; pod compactly spiral with thicker margin more or less 

 furrowed between the prickles. 



Known only from a few localities in the Bay Region: Oakland; 

 Berkeley; Ross Valley, Marin Co.; but in San Francisco Co. almost 

 as common as no. 3 acc. to Mrs. K. Brandegee. 



5. M. apiculata Willd. Stems spreading, 1 to 2 ft. long; leaflets 

 deltoid, denticulate, except at the base, usually retuse and mucronate 

 at apex, 5 or lines long; pod unarmed, the sides strongly reticulated, 

 the reticulations running to the edge and appearing as a row of tuber- 

 cles on either side of the margin. 



Seldom collected: Santa Clara Co.; San Francisco; Point Isabel; 

 and in the Sacramento Valley at Redding. Mar. -Apr. 



14. LUPIN US L. Lupine. 

 Herbs or low shrubs with palmate ly 4 to 15-foliolate leaves. 

 Stipules adnate to the base of the petiole, seldom conspicuous. 

 Flowers showy, blue, pinkish, yellow or white, in terminal racemes 

 or spikes. Calyx deeply bilabiate. Banner roundish, the sides 

 mostly reflexed; wings commonly connivent by their edges in front 

 of and thus enclosing the mostly falcate pointed keel. Stamens 



