444 
The Ohio Naturalist. 
[Vol. XV, No. 4, 
oblong; wings oblong; keel obtuse. Ovulary sessile or nearly so, 
1-several ovuled; style subulate. Pod curved or spirally twisted, 
reticulate or prickly, indehiscent, 1-few seeded. 
1. Leaflets oblanceolate, oblong, or obovate, usually much longer than 
wide; flowers violet, purple, or yellow, perennial. 2. 
1. Leaflets broadly obovate, cuneate, or nearly orbicular, as broad or 
nearly as broad as long; flowers yellow, annual. 3. 
2. Flowers violet-purple or bluish; pod very much coiled. M. sativa. 
2. Flowers yellow; pod scarcely coiled. M. falcata. 
3. Inflorescence usually 10-many flowered; pod without prickles; stem 
somewhat pubescent. M. lupulina. 
3. Inflorescence less than 10-flowered; pod prickly. 4. 
4. Leaflets more or less truncate at the tip, with dark spot or spots near 
the center; stem somewhat pubescent, especially at the top. M. arahica. 
4. Leaflets rounded at the apex; stem almost glabrous; leaves not spotted. 
M: hispida. 
1. Medicago sativa L. Alfalfa. 
Perennial herb with much branching crown; stem 2¥ ft. 
high, ascending; leaves 1% in. long, 1 ¥ in. wide, with petiole; 
leaflets ¥.-*A in. long, in. wide, obovate to oblanceolate, 
dentate especially near the apex; flowers violet or blue, on short 
racemes; pod twisted into 2 or 3 spirals. In fields and waste 
places. Rather general. From Europe. 
2. Medicago falcata L. Yellow Alfalfa. 
Perennial herb with much branching stem, 15-20 in. high, 
ascending; leaves 1-1 y 2 in. long; leaflets ¥ in. long, ¥ in. wide; 
flowers yellow; pod scarcely coiled. Occasionally found in 
waste places. Native of Europe. 
3. Medicago lupulina L. Hop Medic. 
Annual; branching at the base; branches decumbent and 
spreading; roots fibrous; stem \-\% ft. high; leaves 2 in. long, 
1 in. wide; leaflets in. long, ¥ in. wide, obovate, often decidedly 
cuneate at the base; flowers with peduncles IRi in. long; flower 
cluster oblong; pod spiral. In fields and waste places. Native 
of Europe. General. 
4. Medicago arabica (L.) Huds. Spotted Medic. 
Annual; branching from the root; spreading or decumbent; 
stem 12-15 in. high; leaves 3-5 in. long, \-\¥ in. wide, petioled; 
leaflets 1 in. long, ¥ in wide, obcordate, with purple spot on the 
mid vein nearer the apex than base; flowers yellow; inflorescence 
3-5-flowered; pods spirally coiled, with curved prickles. 
5. Medicago hispida Gaertn. Toothed Medic. 
Annual; branching from the root; spreading or ascending; 
stem 15-20 in. high, glabrous; leaves ¥ in. long, ¥ in. wide, 
petioled; leaflets ¥ in. long, ¥ in. wide, obovate; flowers few, 
yellow; pod several seeded, spirally twisted and armed with 
curved prickles. In waste places. Lake County. From Europe. 
