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BRITISH WILD FLOWERS. 
2.— THE GREATER BIRD’S-FOOT TREFOIL. (Lotus major, Scopoli.) 
Engravings. — Eng. Bot., t. 2091 ; 2nd ed., t. 1044 ; and our fig. 4, l erect, tubular. Legumes drooping, cylindrical. Claw of the standard 
in PI. 28. linear. Shorter filaments not dilated. (Smith.) 
Specific Character. —Heads depressed, many. flowered. Stems 
Description, &c. —This plant differs from the common Bird’s-foot Trefoil in its flowers being more numerous 
and larger. It is also never found but in moist ground ; whereas the preceding species always requires the ground 
to be dry. The Greater Bird’s-foot Trefoil sometimes grows to the height of two feet. It is a perennial, and it 
flowers in July and August. 
THE NARROW-LEAVED BIRD’S-FOOT TREFOIL. (L. tenuis, Waidst. et Kit.) 
This is probably only a variety of L. corniculatus , as the only difference is that the leaves are narrower, and 
the whole plant more slender and elongated. This plant is a perennial, and it flowers in July ; but there is 
another still more slender kind, called L. angustissimus , which is an annual, and flowers in May. This latter 
plant is rare, being only found occasionally on the sea-coast of the south of England. 
GENUS XI. 
THE MEDICK. (Medicago, Lin.) 
Lin. Syst. DIADELPHIA DECANDRIA. 
Generic Character. —Calyx somewhat cylindrical, 5-cleft. Keel 
rather distant from the vexillum. Stamens diadelphous. Pod many- 
seeded, variable in form, always falcate or spirally twisted.—Herbaceous 
plants or shrubs. Stipulae usually cut. Leaves stalked, trifoliate ; 
leaflets toothed. Peduncles axillary, with one, two, or many flowers. 
Flowers yellow or purple. (Lindley.) 
Description, &c. —The species belonging to this genus are all fodder plants, and the greater part of them 
are annuals. The name of Medicago is said to have been given to this genus by the Greeks, because it was first 
introduced into Greece by the Medes. 
It belongs to the same Linnman class and order as the last genus. 
1.—THE LUCERNE, OR PURPLE MEDICK. (Medicago sativa, Lin.) 
Engravings. —Eng. Bot., t. 1749 ; 2nd ed., t. 1046 ; and our I Specific Character. —Clusters upright. Legumes spiral. Stem 
fig. 5, in PI. 28. erect, smooth. (Smith.) 
Description, &c. —This plant is considered one of the best, or, at least, one of the most profitable kinds of 
fodder for animals, particularly for milch cows; and it is said to have been used for that purpose ever since the 
time of the ancient Greeks. The Lucerne is a perennial, and flowers in June and July. It grows best in a 
somewhat dry and calcareous soil. Its flowers are purple and rather pretty, and the seed-pods are curiously 
twisted. All the Medicagos have, indeed, curiously formed seed-pods ; though, in some of the species, the seed- 
pods, instead of being spirally twisted like those of the Lucerne, are coiled up into the form of snails or cater¬ 
pillars. _ 
2.— THE HEART MEDICK, OR CLAVER. (Medicago macui.ata, Sibthorp.) 
Specific Character. —Stalks 2 or 3-flowered. Leaflets inversely 
heart-shaped, spotted. Stipulas dilated, sharply toothed. LegumeB 
spiral, depressed, fringed with long spreading bristles. (Smith.) 
Synonymes. —M. polymorpha, Lin. ; M. arabica, Withering ; 
M. hispida, Gcertti. ; the spotted Medick. 
Engravings. —Eng. Bot., t. 1616 ; 2nd ed., t. 1049 ; and our 
fig. 6, in PI. 28. 
Description, &c. —This curious plant is sometimes grown in gardens, on account of its curiously spotted 
leaves and coiled-up seed-pods; from the latter peculiarity the plant is called Snails in the old catalogues of 
