312 
The B R I 1 S H H E R B A L. 
each; and they are oblong, narrow, of a yel- 
lowiHi green, and di.tited toward the ends. 
The Howers ll:and in .iccle clufters at the tops 
of the ftalks, and are of a bright yellow. 
The ieed-vc-lTels are flat, and a little turned 
about : the feeds are few, and angLiiati-d. 
We have it in our hilly pafturcs, but not com- 
mon. It flowers in Jiily. 
C. Bauhine calls it 1'rifolium lutcinn fyhefire 
Ugma five frutefcens. Others, Medico fyivejlris. 
2. Common Heart-Trefoil. 
Medica folio cordato "maculalo. 
The root is long, flender, and fiirniilied with 
numerous Bbres. 
1 he firft leaves are placed on long, (lender 
footflalks, three on each ; and they are of a heart- 
like fbape, and each has a black fpot in die 
middle. 
I'he (lalks are numerous, procumbent, and a 
foot long: they are flender, and of a pale green. 
The leaves on thefe refemble thofe from the 
root: they are alfo fpotted. 
The flowers are fmall and yellow. 
The feed-veflrls arc remarkable in their form 
and afpecl : they are rough, and twifted in a fin- 
gular manner. The feeds are large and few. 
It is common in paflures, and flowers in July. 
C, Bauhine calls it 1'rifoliiim folio cordato macu- 
lato. Others, TtifoHum cordatum, and fome Me- 
dica Arahica Camerarii. 
3, Little Hedgehog Trefoi!. 
Medica echinata minima. 
The root is compofed of numerous fibres. 
The il:a!ks are weak, flender, procumbent, 
and four or five inches long. 
The leaves are few, and placed irregularly : 
they ftand by threes on flender footftalks ; and 
are of an oval figure, but fharp-pointed, and of 
a frefli green. 
The flowers are fmall and yellow: they fliand 
in little clufters at the tops of the ftalks, and in 
the bofoms of the leaves. 
The feed-vefl'el is fmall, but rough, and, as it 
were, prickly ; whence the plant has obtained its 
common Englifh name. 
The feeds are anguiated, and brown. 
We have it in barren, hilly pafl:ures. It flowers 
in June. 
C. Bauhine calls it TrifoUum arvenfe fru£tu mi- 
nore. Others, Medica echinata minima, and Me- 
dica fpinofa. 
4. Prickly-edgcd Medick. 
Medica friiUu ad margims fpimfo. 
The root is long, flender, and furnifhed Vv'ith a 
few fibres. 
1 he. firft leaves a-e placed on long footftalkf, 
three on each ; and they are bro;id, fhorr, cli- 
tufe, fomewhat heart-falliioned, but with a flii^ht 
dent, and of a fine lively green. 
The ffalks are numerous, flender, and ten 
incliLR high. 
The leaves. fl:and at difliances, and are like thofe 
from the root. 
'1 he flowers are fmall and yelKnv : they ftand 
on flender foutRaiks riling from die bolbms of the 
leaves. 
The feed-vclT, 1 is twifted round, and has an 
edge of ftiff briftles. 
Vv'e have ir in the fouthern counnes very fre- 
que t on Hindy ground, and in fome other places. 
It flowers in July. 
Ray calls it TrifoVntm cochhalum mdhlis fpi-. 
yirfis. The old writers knew it not. 
5. Black-fruired Medick. 
Medica polycarpos fruclu conipnjo nigncante. 
The root is flender, oblong, white, and h.;5 a 
few fibres. 
Tlie firft leaves are placed by threes on flender 
footftalks ; and they are fmall and obtufe, 
The ftalks are flender, not much branched, of 
a faint green, and eight inches high. 
The leaves on thefe refemble thofe from th:; 
root, but are fmaller. 
The flowers are fmall and yellow : they ftand 
in great numbers on flender footftalks riflng Iroai 
the bofoms of the leaves. 
The feed-vefl!els are comprcflcd, and blackifh. 
We have it in dry paftures, but not common. 
It flowers in June. 
Ray calls it Medica pclycarpos fruSlu minore cem- 
prejjo fcabro. 
6. Prickly Sea-Medick. 
Alcdica inaritima fpinofa. 
The root is fmall and oblong. 
The ftalks arc numerous, weak, procumbent, 
and eight or ten inches high. 
The leaves are placed by threes on Hiort fooc- 
fl:alks ■, and they are fliort, broad, obtufe, and 
of a bright green. 
The flowers are fmall and yellow. 
The fruit is twifted and prickly. 
The ftalks of the plant are ufually purple to- 
ward the root; and the tops of the ftioots are 
hairy. 
It is found about our fea-coaft~, and flowers in 
July. 
Ray calls it Medica marina fupiiia noflras foliis 
viy'idibus ad fivmnos ramidos villofis. 
DIVISION II. FOREIGN SPECIES. 
I. Lucorne. 
Medica fatlva flore piapureo. 
The root is very long, and lives many years. 
The ftalks are numerous, firm, upright, much 
branched, and two feet or more in height : they 
are fmooth, and of a pale green. 
3 
The leaves are placed very thick ; and they are 
difpofcd, as in the others, three on a ftalk : they 
are oblong, ftiarp-pointcd, and flightly ferrated : 
their colour is a frefh green. 
The flowers are fmall, and of a beautiful 
violet-colour : they are placed half a dozen to- 
gether at the tops of the ftalks, and on flen- 
der 
