XXX. LEGUMINOSiE 
119 
long-pointed, united to the leaf-stalk. Flowers nearly } in. long, 
white, in long, axillary racemes. Calyx bell-shaped ; teeth 5, 
distinct, lanceolate, nearly equal, acute. Standard not clawed ; 
wings and keel nearly equal, shorter than the standard ; keel 
obtuse. Upper stamen free, others united. Style glabrous, 
incurved ; stigma minute. Pod indehiscent, ovoid, about \ in. 
longer than the calyx, tipped with the persistent style ; seeds 
1 or 2. 
Simla; June-September. — Plains of N. India, ascending to 12,000 ft. — 
W. Asia, Europe (Britain). 
Melilotus parviflora, Desf., is common in fields in the plains and may occur 
below 3000 ft. Elowers pale yellow, hardly L in. long. 
9. MEDICAGO. The classical name of the Lucern, M. sativa. 
— Asia, Europe, N. Africa ; widely colonised. 
Herbs ; stems erect or procumbent. Leaves of 3 leaflets ; 
leaflets upper part toothed, lower entire, lateral leaflets nearly 
sessile, terminal one stalked, veins parallel, running out into small 
sharp teeth. Stipules narrowly lanceolate, long-pointed, united 
to the leaf-stalk. Flowers bright yellow, blue in the cultivated 
M. sativa, in stalked, axillary racemes, heads or clusters. Calyx 
bell-shaped ; teeth 5, distinct, nearly equal, acute. Petals twice as 
long as the calyx : standard not clawed ; keel shorter than the 
wing-petals, obtuse. Upper stamen free, others united. Style 
glabrous, incurved ; stigma minute. Pod strongly curved or 
spirally twisted, smooth or prickly ; seeds solitary, several or 
many. 
Stems erect. Leaflets oblong. Flowers U in. long, in 
racemes 1. M. falcata. 
Stems procumbent. Leaflets obovate. Flowers less than 
\ in. long, in heads or clusters. 
Flowers numerous, in globose heads. Pod smooth . 2. M. lupulina. 
Flowers 2-6, clustered. Pod prickly . . . 3. M. denticulata. 
* 1. Medicago falcata, Linn. ; FI. Br. Ind. ii. 90. Perennial, 
glabrous or nearly so ; stems nearly erect, 1-2 ft., much branched. 
Leaflets narowly oblong, 1 in. Flowers J in. long, in racemes. 
Pod glabrous, strongly curved but not forming a complete spire, 
in. ; seeds 5-10. 
Orchard below the Retreat, Mushobra ; June-September ; W. Himalaya, 
5000-12,000 ft. — W. Asia, Europe (Britain). 
Lucern, M. sativa, closely allied to this species, has purple or blue flowers 
and spirally twisted pods. Cultivated for fodder throughout N. India. 
* 2. Medicago lupulina, Linn . ; FI. Br. Ind. ii. 90. Annual, 
pubescent ; stems numerous, slender, 1-2 ft., diffuse or procum- 
bent. Leaflets obovate, in. Flowers very small, numerous, 
crowded in globose or ovoid heads about \ in. diam. Pod 
