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PERKINS THE LEGUMINOSAE OF PORTO EICO. 149 



coriaceous or subinembranous, 2-valved, the valves depressed between the seeds or 

 indistinctly septate; seeds transverse, ovate.— Perennial herlxs or decumbent ur aquatic 

 undershiiibs, stems usually compressed or triangular; leaves bipitmate, the leaflets 

 small; stipules membranous, obli(}at^ly cordate; tluwei- heads ovate-globose, axillary, 

 solitary, the lower neuter flowers with e]ongat<Kl petaloid staminodia* 



1. Neptunia plena (L.) Benth, 



(Urban, 268.) 



Undershrub, decumbent or ascending; pinnae 2 or :i-jugate, the petiole bearing a 

 gland between the lowest pair; leaflets 14 to 20-jugat(\ narrowly linear, 4 to 7 mm. 

 long, 2 mm. wide; bracts in the middle of \\u) peduncle alternate, cordate, hniger per- 

 sistent than in other species; flower heads oval, tlie flowers yellow, the calyx 2 mm. 

 long; corolla 3.5 mm. long; anthers brown; legume slipitate, at lenglh deflexed, 3 to 4 



cm. long, 1 cm. wide, 5 t(» 20-sord(Hl. 



Near Maunabo, at Punta d(? la Tuna; near Guanira, on the swampy shore of the 

 lagoon toward La Plata; between Vega Baja and Dorado, in sandy districts; near 

 Dorado, on inundatinl sanriy land.— Cuba (Pichard), Jamaica (Grisebach), Haiti, 

 Antigua (Grisebach), Guadehmpe, Martinique, St. Vinceiit, Union (Kew Bull. no. 81, 

 p. 249), Grenada, Cviravao, South America, tropical Asia (introduced). 



The plant figured in the Dutanical Register <x as N. j^lena, and described as having a 

 spongy floating stom, was probably N. ohracca. 



Local name, desmanto antarillo, 



11, ADENANTHERA L. 

 Adenanlheralj, Sp. PL 1: 384. 1753, 



Stachijrhrysinn Boj. Ilort. Maurit. 114. 1837 

 Gonsii Adans. Fam. 2: 318. 17G3. 



Fl 



shortly toothed; corolla segmrnts coherent below or free; st anions 10, free, scarcely 

 exserted; ovary sessile, multiovulate, style fdiform, stigma small, ternnnal; legume 

 linear, usually curved, compressed or often turgid over the seeds, usually incurved 

 or falcate, 2-valved, usually septate; seeds scarlet or two-colored, thick, the testa 

 hard, smooth.— Trees, unarmed; leaves bipinnate; leaflets small, multijvigate; flow- 

 ers white or yellowish; racetnos often elongated, solitary or fascicled in tlie axils or 

 panicled at the extremities. 



1. Adenantliera pavonina L. 



(Urban, 269.) 



Tree, 5 to 8 meters high; pinnae 2 to 5-ju^^ate; leaflets G to 10-jngate, ovate or oblong- 

 elliptical, 2.G to 5 cm. long, 1 to 2.5 cm. broad, very ol^tuse, glabrous; fltnvers in 

 racemes; calyx 1 mm. long; corolla 3.5 mm. long; legume 10 to 27 cm. long, 1 to 1.5 

 cm. wido, brown outside, golden yellow inside, lint^ar, compressed, incurved; seeds 



scarlet, smooth. 



Cultivated and seemingly spontaneous near Bayamon; near Cabo Rojo; near Maya- 



guez; near Anasco, around llaoienda Pagan.— Cuba (Grisebach), Jamaica (do.), Cay- 

 man (Hitchcock), St. Thomas (Kggers), St. Croix (do.), St. John (do.). Guadaloupe, 

 Martinique (Duss), St. Vincent, Pequia. Native country tropical Asia, 



This plant is introduced in tho West Indies and other parts of tropical America, and 

 possibly in tropical Africa and tropical Australia. The glistening red seeds (condori) 

 are worn as ornaments by the women and, roasted or l)oiled with rice, they art! used as 



aBot. Reg. 32: pi 5. 1846. 



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