Petalosfemum.] lEGUMINOS^. 137 



5. P, brachiata; caule erecto flexuoso subramoso patenti-villosissimo, folils palmatim 

 5-foliolatis appresso-hirsutis, foliolis ellipticis, pedunculis axillaribus elongatis folio 

 longioribus, racemis oblongis spicatis laxiusculis, bracteis deiitibusque calycis foliaceis 

 lanceolatis, floribus erectis. (Tab. LIII.) — Douglas, MSS. in Herb, Hort. Soc. 



Radix fiisiformis, crassa, 4-10 uncias longa. Caulis pedalzs ad sesquipediilem, Iierbaccus, ercctus, 

 flexuosus, parce ramosus ramis patentibus, striatiis, crassus, ubique pills lough patentibus albis ralde villosus. 

 i^o/m patentia, palmatim 5-foUolata, longe petiolata, appresse villosa, pilis albidis subsericeis; foliolis 2 fere 

 tres Tincias longis, ellipticis, acutis, basi attcnuatis, nonnunquam obovato-cuncatis. Petiolus dig^italis 

 et ultra, patenti-villosus. Pedunculus axillaris, solitarius, folio lou;^ior, pateati-pllosus. Hacenius spicam 

 elongatam bracteosam efformaus, 3-4- uucias lou^^us, sesquiuuciam latus, albido-viUosus. Bractea ilorcm sub- 

 aequantes, lanceolatae, foliacese, virides, superiores subca;rulescentes. Calyx fere unciam longus, pilis longia 

 albis hii-sutus. Tuhis breviusculus, subcarapaniilatns, membranarous, laciniis foliaceis 4 suporioribus lineari- 

 lanceolatis corolla paulo brevioribus, inferiore raajore lanccolata corollam siibaequante. Corolla: Vexillum 

 ovale, album, iuferne iu uu^uem atteuuatum, ad basin larainffi utrinque subcallowun. Carina cserulea cum 

 alis unita. Stamina diadelpba, 1, 9, tubo ad apicem in dentibus latis antheriferis alternim longioribus iisso. 

 Germen oblongum, glabnim. Stylus lon^is, subnlatus, infeme hirsutisslmus, apice sursiim curvatus. Stigma 

 capltatum. 



Had. Plains of the Saskatcbawau from Carltou-IIouse to Edmontou-IIouse. Dmmmond; Douglas. — 

 This, Mr. Dou^^las observes, is the Navet de Prairie of the Canadian " Voyagcurs" : and, 1 must confess, that 

 had I been left to judg^e of the species solely from the fif|;ure and description of Pursh, I should have had no 

 hesitation in considerinn^ it as Psoralen esculenta • but Mr. Doujflas, who has compared the plant witli Lewis 

 and Clarke's original specimens of P.esculcntaj in Mr. Lambert's Herbarium, pronounces it to be quite distinct; 

 although the chief dlifereuces he mentions are the more slender habit, aud longer and laxer spikes of our 

 plant. Again, he observes that the P. esculenta of Nuttall, of which an original specimen is likewise in the 

 Lambertian Herbarium, is distinct from both ; and, indeed, Mr. Nuttall describes it as nearly stemless. The 

 roots, thougb stringy, dry, and tough, and containing but little farinaceous matter, are gathered and eaten 

 by the Cree Indians raw, or sometimes roasted. 



r 



Tab. LHL Psoralea brachiata. Fig. 1, Back view of a flower; Jig. 2, Front view of do.; Jig, 3, The 

 vexillum; ^^. 4, Portion of the stamens, and style with the stigma; Jig, 5, Pistil; — magnijied, 



8. PETALOSTEMUM. Mich. 



Cal 5-ficlus, aut 5-clentatus. Pet 5, unguiculata, inter se subsiinilia. Stam, 5 inter- 

 jecta et cum iis in tubum concreta ; vexillum conduplicatum liberum. Legumen Qn\\CQ 

 tectum l-spermum indehiscens. — Herbae perennes Boreali- Americanm^ glanduloso-punctata. 

 Folia impari-pinnata. Flores dense spicati, spicis pedunculatls, Pcdunculi oppositifolii^ 

 terminaleSi ramo ahortivo facti. DC. 



L P.candidum; spica cylindrica, bracteis calyce glabro longioribus, foliolis 3-jugis 

 lineari-oblongis glabris.— M/cA. Am. v, 2. /?. 49. t S7. f. 1. Pursh, FL Am. v. 2, /). 461. 

 De Cand. Prodr. v. 2. p, 243.— Dalea Candida. IViiid.—Fsordea Candida. Pair. 



Hab. Banks of the Saskatchawan, and upon the Red-Deer and Eagle Hills of that river. Dmmmond; 

 Douglas. On the Red River. Douglas.— Petals white. This, and the following, and probably all the species 

 of the ffenus, bave glandular dots on their leaves, as in Psoralea. 



2. P. violacea ; spica oblongo-cylindracea, bracteis calyce sericeo-pubuscente longiori- 

 bus foliolis bijuiris anguste linearibus subhirsutis, — Mick. Am. r. 2. p. 50. t 37. / 2. 



VOL. I. ^ 



