476 
Lupinellus. 
he 
DIADELPHIA DECANDRIA, Psoralea. 
' petiolata, digitato-quinata. Foliola subpetiolata, lanceo- 
lata, utrinque acuta, integerrima, plana, supra glabra, 
punctis vix conspicuis confertissime adspersa, subtus 
pilosa, uncialia, Petio/i communes teretes, folio lon- 
" giores. Stipule persistentes, ad basin petiolorum op- 
posite, oblongo-lanceolate, acute, Spice axillares, 
pedunculate, densifloræ, bracteata, foliis longiores. 
Bractece lato-ovate, acuminate, calyce breviores. 
Flores sessiles, cerulei, magnitudine et figura Vicie 
salve. Calyx hirsutissimus, 5-fidus s. profunde 5- 
dentatus : dentibus lineari-lanceolatis: 2. lateralibus 
subfalcatis : inferus latior. Corolla: Verxillum obo- 
vatum, inferne utrinque glandula instructum, calyce 
paulo longiore. Alæ semi-ovate, vexillo breviores. 
Carina oblonga. Legumen calyce tectum, monosper- 
mum, hirsutum, rostro ensiformi, glabro, calyce lon- 
ir. 1744. p. 381. t. 17. But not 
my y difference, but the medical use 
made of the Mexican plant, proves their distinctness. 
The present plant produces the famous Bread-root of 
the American Western Indians, on wbich they partly 
‘subsist in winter. They collect them in large quanti- 
ties, and if for present use, they roast them in the ashes, 
when they give a food similar to yams : if intended 
for winter use, they are carefully dried, and preserved 
in a dry place in their huts. When wanted for use, — 
they are mashed between two stónes, mixed with some 
water, and baked in cakes over the coals. ]t is a 
wholesome and nourishing food, and, according to 
— Mr. Lewis's observation, agreeable to most constitu- — 
tions ; which, he observed, was not the case with tbe 
rest of the roots collected by those Indians for food. 
"This root has been frequently found by travellers in , | 
the canoes of the Indians, but the plant which pro- 
duces it has not been known until lately. — i 
7. P. foliis quino-digitatis: foliolis angustissime linearibus, 
spica pauciflora, leguminibus ovoideis, uncinato-mU- — 
_ cronatis, nervoso-rugosis.— Mich. fl. amer. 2. p.58- — 
In barren fields of Carolina. Y. v.s. in Herb, Lyon. 
* 
Flowers very small. The leaves of the whole genus - 
are covered with resinous dots. x$ 
