3o8 
The B R I T I S FI HERBAL. 
The Rowers are fmall and yellow; and they 
grow in little clufters, rarely more than two or 
three together. 
The leed-vefll-Is are very fmall, and the feeds 
minute. 
It is frequent in dry pallures, and flowers in 
July. 
Ray calls it TrifoUtwi lupulintm minimiwi ; a 
name ufed alfo by moft others. 
D I V I S I O N II. F 
Hop Trefoil with ferrated leaves. 
'l^rifolmn lupulinum foliis dentath. 
The root is long, flender, brown, and hung 
with many redith fibres. 
The ftalks are numerous, upright, of a pale 
green, a foot and half high, and not much 
branched. 
The leaves ftand at confiderable diftances by 
threes, and they have fiender footitalks : they are 
REIGN SPECIES. 
of an oval figure, fharply ferrated at the edges, 
and of a faint green. 
The flowers are fmall, and of a faint brownifh 
yellow : they ftand together in oval heads, which 
are formed of brown cups. 
The feed-veflTels are fliort, and the feeds brown 
and large. 
It is frequent in hilly places in the warmer 
parts of Europe. 
C. Bauhine calls it Trifolium mojUaniim lupidhnm. 
GENUS IV. 
M E L I L O T. 
MELILOrUS. 
THE flower is papilionaceous, and fmall. The vcxilkim is bent back, the aise are fliorr, and 
the carina is fmall. The feed-veffel is a pod, formed of a fingle piece, and is longer than the 
cup. The cup is hullowed at the bafe, and divided into five fegments at the edge. The leaves 
ftand three together, and the flowers are produced in loofe fpikes. 
Linnseus places this among the diadelphia decmidria-, the threads being ten, in two afibrtments. 
But he creates much confufion, by joining it with iXic lagopus, and other three-ieaved plants, under 
the common genericai name of trifolium. 
DIVISION I. B R I T I S PI SPECIES. 
I. Common Melilot. 
Meliiotus vulgaris. 
The root is long, flender, redilh, divided into 
feveral parts, and hung about with fibres. 
The ttalks are numerous, round, of a frefh 
green, upright, branched, and a yard high. 
The leaves ftand in threes, and have flender 
footftalks : they are oblong, Iharp-pointed, and 
of a frefh and delicate green. 
The flowers are fmall, and of a gold yellow : 
they fland in Uofe fpikes of a confiderable length 
at the tops of the ftalks, and on pedicles rifing 
from the bofoms of the leaves. 
The feed-veflel is oblong, and the feeds are 
large and brown. 
It is common in many parts of England in 
pafture-grounds, and under hedges i and fome- 
times gets among the corn, unhappily for the 
farmer. It flowers in July. 
C. Bauhine calls it Meliiotus officinarmn Ger~ 
snania. Others, Meliiotus vulgaris.- 
It Is famous as a refolvent and digeftive, out- 
wardly applied. 
In pultices it will be of great ufe agalnft hard 
fwellings, ripening them, and at the fame time 
taking off the pain; 
The old authors have written much of It and 
many years it was an ingredient in the platfter 
ufed for drefTing blifters. At prefent it is re- 
jetfled from that compofition ; not for its want 
of efficacy, but to prevent mifchievous frauds ; 
thofe who made the plaifter frequently putting in 
verdigreafe, to give the colour which would riot 
be obtained from the plant but with confidcrably 
more trouble. 
2. Small Melilot. 
Meliiotus odoratus flore c^ruleo. 
The root is fmall, and furniflied with many 
fibres. 
The ftalks arc numerous, crefl, branched, and 
ten inches high. 
The leaves ftand in threes j and they are fliort, 
broad, and of a pale green. 
The flowers are fmall and yellow : they ftand 
in oblong heads at the tops of the ftalks, and 
on pedicles rifing from the bofoms of the leaves. 
The feed-veflels are fmall, and vn y numerous : 
they hang in a kind of ioofe fpike. 
It is common in our paftures, and flowers in 
Auguft. 
Tragus calls it Meliiotus minor. Others impro- 
perly, Trifolium lupulinum jni/ius femine muUo. 
D I V I- 
