BRITISH WILD FLOWERS. 
119 
one is a native of Great Britain. The name of Melilotus, signifies the Honey Lotus. It is placed in the same 
Linnaean class and order as the preceding genus. 
1.—THE COMMON YELLOW MELILOT. (Melilotus officinalis, Willd.) 
Synonymes. —Trifolium Melilotus officinalis, Lin. ; T. officinale, 
Smith. 
Engravings. —Eng. Bot., 1.1340 ; 2nd ed., t. 1026 ; and our fig. 
1, in PI. 28. 
Specific Character.— Clusters unilateral. Legume prominent, 
acute, transversely wrinkled, hairy, with two seeds. Stem erect. 
Stipulas awl-shaped. {Smith.) 
Description, &c. —This is an annual plant, which is extremely common in fields, particularly when there is 
clay in the soil. It is much valued as fodder abroad, particularly in Switzerland, where it is said to give the 
Gruyere cheese its peculiar flavour. In this country, however, cattle do not appear to like it, as in grass fields 
it is generally left by them, though the grass is eaten all round it. It flowers in June and July, and the flowers 
have a very strong, and rather agreeable scent. 
THE WHITE MELILOT. (M. leucantha, Koch.) 
This plant is sometimes considered a variety of the preceding species, which it very closely resembles, except 
in the colour of the flowers, which is nearly white ; and in their being somewhat smaller. This plant has been 
long known on the continent of Europe, and in North America; but it has only lately been discovered in 
England. 
GENUS IX. 
THE TREFOIL. (Trifolium, Lin.) 
Lin. Syst. DIADELPHIA DECANDRIA. 
Generic Character.— Calyx tubular, persistent, five-cleft, not 
glandular ; with subulate segments. Keel shorter than both wings and 
vexillum. Stamens diadelphous. Pod small, indehiscent, often ovate 
with one or two seeds, shorter than the calyx by which it is covered, 
seldom oblong, with three or four seeds, and a little longer than the 
calyx. Herbaceous plants. Stipules adhering to the petiole. Leaves 
three or five-leaved. Flowers in heads or dense spikes, bracteate, purple, 
white, or pale yellow. Petals in some cohering. (Dec.) 
Description, &c. —The name of this genus is well known from the common kinds of Clover which are so 
frequently met with in our fields. There are, however, many British species which bear very little resemblance 
to the Clover in their flowers, though they may all be easily recognised by their leaves. The name of 
Trifolium signifies three leaves; and Trefoil has the same signification. It is placed in the same Linnaean class 
and order as the preceding genus. The Trefoil, according to some, is the badge of the Highland Clan Sinclair. 
1.—THE DUTCH CLOVER. (Trifolium iiepens, Lin.) 
Engravings. —Eng. Bot., t. 1769 ; 2nd ed., t. 1028. 
Specific Character.- —Heads globose. Flowers somewhat stalked. Legume within the calyx, four-seeded. Stems creeping, solid. (Smith.) 
Description, &c. —The Dutch Clover is common in meadows and pasture lands in every part of Great 
Britain, particularly where the soil is rich and rather moist. It is a perennial, with a creeping stem, which lies 
upon the ground and roots into it at intervals. The flowers, which are white, are produced in globular heads, 
