Medicago lupulina, L. Medicago secundiflora, Durieu Medicago cretacea, Bieb.

1. M. lupulina L. View in CoL , Sp. Pl. 779 (1753).

More or less pubescent annual or short-lived perennial 5-60 cm. Leaflets orbicular, obovate, or rhombic- or oblong-cuneate, rounded to emarginate, usually apiculate; stipules lanceolate to ovate, serrate or entire. Racemes 10- to 50-flowered. Corolla 2-3 mm. Legume 1 -5-3 mm, reniform, black when ripe; transverse veins strongly curved, slightly anastomosing and forming an elongated network. Seed 1, black. 2/ i= 16. Throughout Europe, except the extreme north; sometimes cultivated for forage. All except Sb; probably introduced in Fa Is.

2. M. secundiflora Durieu View in CoL in Duchartre, Rev. Bot. 1: 365 (1845).

Like 1 but whitish-pubescent annual 2-20 cm; stipules lanceolate, entire orwith 2 teeth at base; racemes 3- to 10-flowered, secund; legume 3 -5-4 mm; transverse veins freely anastomosing forming a more or less isodiametric network. 5. France (Aude), N.E. Spain, Islas Baléares; doubtfully native in Italy. BI Ga Hs *It.

3. M. hybrida (Pourret) Trautv. View in CoL , Bull. Sci. Acad. Imp. Sci. Pétersb. 8: 271 (1841)

( M. pourretii Noulet ).

Glabrous perennial 10-40 cm. Leaflets broadly obovate to suborbicular, crenulate- serrate; stipules i-ovate, sagittate, dentate, acute. Racemes 2- to 5-flowered. Legume oblong-falcate, acuminate, dehiscent; transverse veins forming a strong, more or less isodiametric network. Seeds 2-3. Woods and mountain slopes; calcicole. 9 Corbières and Pyrenees. Ga.

4. M. cretacea Bieb. View in CoL , FI. Taur.-Cauc. 2: 223 (1808)

( Trigonella cretacea (Bieb.) Grossh. ).

Like 3 but stipules entire; legume 1-seeded, indéhiscent, with prominent transverse veins which are almost parallel and scarcely anastomose. Krym. Rs (K). (W. Transcaucasus.)