878 
XLITT. LEGUMINOSiE. 
[Trigonella. 
1. T. suavissima (very sweet-scented), Lindl. in Mitch. Three Exped. i. 255 ; 
Benth. FI. Austr. ii. 187. An annual, either quite glabrous or sprinkled with a 
few hairs on the under side of the leaves and on the calyxes, the stems prostrate 
or ascending, from f to 2 or 3ft. in length. Leaflets broadly obovate or obcordate, 
rarely above fin. long, more or less denticulate, on a long slender petiole. 
Stipules semisagittate, deeply toothed. Flowers small, yellow, in sessile clusters. 
Calyx about 2 lines long, the lobes lanceolate-subulate, rather rigid, fully as long 
as the tube. Standard longer than the calyx ; wings and keel scarcely shorter. 
Upper stamen free. Pod linear, curved, almost obtuse, f to fin. long, and about 
1 line broad, opening in 2 thin reticulate valves, either flat or undulate. 
Hab.: Georgina River, J. Coghlan. Flowering about August. 
Used by Sir T. Mitchell as a vegetable. 
The species is closely allied to T. hamosa of the northern hemisphere, which is also found in 
S. Africa, and to the E. Mediterranean T. microcar pa, Poir., and T. anguina, Delile, but not quite 
identical with either.— Benth. 
25. *MEDICAGO, Linn. 
(A native of the country of the Medes.) 
Calyx-tube short, with 5 subequal teeth. Corolla caducous ; petals free from 
the staminal tube ; standard obovate ; keel short, obtuse. Stamens diadelphous ; 
filaments not dilated ; anthers uniform. Ovary sessile, usually multiovulate. 
Style subulate, glabrous ; stigma oblique. Pod usually many times spirally 
twisted, often muricate. — Herbs, often annual, with pinnately trifoliolate leaves. 
A considerable genus, with its headquarters round the Mediterranean. — J. G. Baker. 
Plant annual 1 . M. denticulata. 
Plant perennial 2. M. sativa. 
1. IVE. denticulata (toothed), Willd. Annual with procumbent stems, often 
If to 2ft. long and numerous, subglabrous. Stipules laciniated, the free points 
linear. Leaflets obovate-cuneate, toothed. Peduncles lin. long, the flowers in 
heads 3 to 6. Pedicels shorter than the calyx, which is 1 line long, teeth 
lanceolate-subulate. Corolla yellow, half as long again as the calyx. Pod 
glabrous, globose, fin. broad without the spines, with 2 to 4 spirals, the faces 
reticulate with raised veins, the spines straight, about f line long. 
Hab.: Europe. A common weed of many warm countries. 
2. IVE. sativa (cultivated), Linn. The cultivated Lucern. A perennial with 
ascending or erect stems of 1 or 2ft. Leaves pinnately 3-foliolate. Peduncles 
axillary, bearing a short close raceme of violet or blue flowers. Upper stamen 
free. Pod spirally twisted so as to form 2 or rarely 3 complete coils, without 
tubercles or prickles. 
Hab.: This excellent fodder plant is now and again met with as a stray from cultivation. 
Sometimes old fields of this fodder may be seen much infested with Lcestadia destructiva. 
26. *MELILOTUS, Juss. 
(From met, honey, and Lotus.) 
Calyx with a campanulate tube and 5 subequal teeth. Corolla caducous, not 
adhering to the staminal tube ; standard obovate-oblong ; wings oblong ; keel 
blunt, often shorter than the wings. Stamens diadelphous ; filaments not 
dilated ; anthers uniform. Ovary sessile or stipitate. Pod subglobose or ovoid, 
subindehiscent, 1 or 2-seeded. — Annuals or biennials, with pinnately trifoliolate 
leaves with toothed leaflets and flowers in stalked racemes. 
A moderately small genus with its headquarters in Europe. — J. G. Baker. 
Annual. Corolla pale-yellow, minute ; standard exceeding wings and keel. 
Pod glabrous 1. M. parviflora. 
Biennial. Corolla white ; standard exceeding wings and keel. Pod glabrous . 2. M. alba. 
