186 LEGUMINOS^E. 



Indian form is puberulous, not contracted ; flowers purplish. — Hab. Naturalized in Jamaica !, 

 Pd. ; S. Kitts !, Antigua !, Wullschl. ; Trinidad !, Or. ; [introduced from the East Indies]. 



15. DESMODIUM, DC. 

 Calyx-tube shortly campanulate. Standard obovate : wings adherent to the blunt, biauri- 

 cled keel. Vexillar stamen adherent to the column, or free. Lomentum compressed •. joints 

 many to 2. — Herbs or shrubs ; leaves pinnately 3-foliolate, or reduced to a single leaflet: sti- 

 pules usually searious ; flowers fascicled-racemose, rarely in simple fascicles. 



Sect. 1. Sagotia. Lomentum-suture continuous : joints reticulated, truncate at the ends, 

 tardily dehiscent. — Flower-fascicles opposite to the leaves ; calyx-segments rigid, pilose. 



45. D. triflorum, DC. Procumbent, diffuse, hairy; leaflets obovate or obcordate: 

 stipules acuminate, persistent : pedicels geminate (or 4-1) ; lomentum sessile, slightly 

 arcuate : joints 3-6, subquadrate, broadly rounded on the dorsal margin. — Sw. 06s. t. 6. /. 

 1. Mart. Fl.Bras. 24. t. 26./. 1.— Hedysarum, L. Sagotia, Walp. Nicholsonia, Gr. — Re- 

 sembling Clover ; pedicels as long as the lomentum ; corolla small, crimson, included within 

 the calyx. — Hab. Jamaica !, Macf., A I., a common weed; Antigua!, Wullschl.; [Mexico 

 to Brazil !, trop. Africa ! ; East Indies!]. 



Sect. 2. Nicholsonia. Lomentum-suture continuous : joints transversely veined, truncate 

 at the ends, tardily dehiscent. — Pedicels 2 (-3), arranged in racemes : bracts large, 

 searious. 



46. D. barbatum, Benth. Suffrutescent ; leaflets elliptical-oblong, oval, obovate, or 

 elliptical-lanceolate ; flowers in corymbs, crowded : bracts lanceolate, acuminate ; calyx at 

 length nodding, long-pilose : divisions lanceolate-setaceous ; lomentum sessile, refiexed, 

 puberulous: joints 2-4, subquadrate, broadly rounded on the dorsal margin. — Mart. Fl. 

 Bras. 24. t. 26./. 2. — Hedysarum, Sw. Nicholsonia, BO. — Exceedingly variable in down, 

 stature, and form of leaflets ; flowers light-blue or purple. 



o. Stem stout, erect, villous ; leaflets elliptical-lanceolate or eiliptical-oblong ; pedicels 

 equalling the bracts. 



/3. cceruleo-violaceum, DC. Stem erect, pubescent , leaflets elliptical, elliptical-oblong, or 

 obovate ; pedicels exceeding the bracts. — DC. Leg. t. 51. — Hedysarum, Mey. ! Nicholsonia 

 cayennensis, DC. 



y. venustulum. Stem diffuse, pubescent or glabrate ; leaflets small, obovate or ellip- 

 tical-oblong ; pedicels much exceeding the bracts. — Hedysarum, Kth. Nicholsonia, DC. 



Hab. Jamaica!, all coll., in pastures (7) ; Trinidad !, Cr., in savannahs, (a, 0) ; [Mexico ! 

 to Brazil!]. / 



47*. D. heterocarpum, DC. Suffrutescent : leaflets obovate-oblong, lateral ones some- 

 what smaller ; flowers in elongated racemes, crowded : bracts subulate ; lomentum subsessile, 

 erect : joints 6-4, subquadrate, broadly rounded on the dorsal margin. — Hedysarum, L. D. 

 polycarpum, DC. — Hab. Naturalized in S. Vincent !, Guild. ; [introduced from the East In- 

 dies !, China !, trop. Australia !, Pacific islands !]. 



Sect. 3. Heteroloma. Lomentum-suture continuous or slightly notched: joints 

 reticulated, half-round or half-oval, indehiscent. — Mowers racemose. 



48. D. adscendens, DC. Ascending-diffuse; branches cylindrical ; leaflets 3, obovate 

 or oval-roundish : stipules distinct ; lomentum subsessile, straight, uncinate-pubescent : 

 suture continuous, dorsal margin sinuate to the middle : joints 5-2, semioval. — Kth. N. 

 Gen. t. 597. — Hedysarum, Sw. D. racemiferum, DC. D. ellipticum, Macf. ! D. obovatum, 



'Tog. I — Leaflets blunt, rarely subacute ; flowers small, purple. — Hab. Jamaica !, Macf. 

 M'Nab; S. Kitts!, Bis. ; Antigua!, Wullschl.; Dominica!, Imr. ; S. Vincent !, Guild.'; 

 Trinidad !, Sch., Lockh., Cr. ; [Mexico ! to Peru ! and Rio Grande do Sul !]. 



49. D. incanum, DC. Diffuse ; branches cylindrical ; leaflets 3 (-1), ovate or oblong 

 subacute (rarely lanceolate), glaucous beneath : stipules connate to the middle, at length 

 snbdistinct ; lomentum subsessile, straightish, uncinate-pubescent : suture continuous, dorsal 

 margin sinuate as deep as to the suture: joints 5-8(-2), semioval.— SI. t. 118./. 1, 2. — 

 Hedysarum, Sw. H. supinum, Sw. D. supinum, DC. — Erect or ascending, variable in 

 growth ; flowers small, purple. 



