4 BULLETIN 844, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
STRUCTURE OF THE FLOWERS OF MELILOTUS ALBA. 
The racemes of Melilotus alba contain from 10 to 120 flowers with 
an average of approximately 50 per raceme for all of the racemes of 
a plant growing nnder cultivation in a field containing a good stand. 
Fig. 1.— Different parts of the flower of Mclilotus alba: 1, Side view of the flower; 2, side view of the flower 
with the carina and alae slightly depressed; 3, side view of the flower, showing the carina and alse de- 
pressed sufficiently to expose the staminal tube and the tenth free stamen; 4, ala; 5, ate and carina 
spread apart to show their relative position and shape; 6, flower after the petals have been removed, 
showing in detail the calyx and staminal tube; 7, the staminal tube split open to show the relative size 
and position of the pistil, a, Ala?; b, vexillum; c, carina; d, calyx; c, stigma; 6, anthers: g, tenth free 
stamen; h, digitate process of the superior basal angle of an ala; i, depressions! in the ala; j, staminal 
tube; 1:, pistil. 
The flower consists of a green, smooth, or slightly pubescent calyx 
with 5-pointed lobes and with an irregular white corolla of five petals. 
(Fig. 1 .) The claws of the petals are not united nor are they attached 
to the staminal tube which is formed by the union of the filaments of 
the nine inferior stamens. As the claws of the ala3 and carina are not 
