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- Group 1Lycophytes, Monilophytes
- Group 2Gymnosperms
- Group 3Monocots
- Group 4Woody angiosperms with opposite or whorled leaves
- Group 5Woody angiosperms with alternate leaves
- Group 6Herbaceous angiosperms with inferior ovaries
- Group 7Herbaceous angiosperms with superior ovaries and zygomorphic flowers
- Group 8Herbaceous angiosperms with superior ovaries, actinomorphic flowers, and 2 or more distinct carpels
- Group 9Herbaceous angiosperms with superior ovaries, actinomorphic flowers, connate petals, and a solitary carpel or 2 or more connate carpels
- Group 10Herbaceous angiosperms with superior ovaries, actinomorphic flowers, distinct petals or the petals lacking, and 2 or more connate carpels
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- Dichotomous Key
- Fabaceae
- Melilotus
Melilotus
See list of 3 species in this genusMelilotus altissimus Thuill. was reported from ME by Hultén and Fries (1986), but specimens are unknown. Steele and Wojciechowski (2003) found Melilotus to be monophyletic, but its recognition creates a paraphyletic Trigonella. Further work may show these two genera need to be combined under the name Trigonella (it has priority over Melilotus).
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1a. Corollas yellow, 2–3 mm long; inflorescence compact at anthesis, only 1–2 (–3) cm long, elongating in fruit; pedicels ascending, 0.5–1 mm long; legumes 1.5–3 mm long; plants 0.2–0.6 m tall
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1b. Corollas yellow or white, (3.5–) 4–7 mm long; inflorescence 3–12 cm long at anthesis, elongating in fruit; pedicels decurved, 1–2 mm long; legumes 2.5–5 mm long; plants 0.5–3 m tall
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2a. Corollas yellow, 5–7 mm long; wing petals ± as long as the banner petal and usually longer than the keel petals; legumes cross-striate on the outer surface
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2b. Corollas white, (3.5–) 4–5 mm long; wing petals shorter than the banner petal and ± as long as the keel petals [Fig. 647]; legumes reticulate-patterened on the outer surface
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Show photos of: Each photo represents one species in this genus.