a native of the East Indies, and M. pruriens, derived from 
the West Indies. The two were for a long time confounded. 
De Candolle threw some doubt upon their identity, and Dr. 
Wight and ourselves, in the Bot. Misc. 1. c., pointed out the diffe- 
rence. M/. pruriens is figured by Dr. Lindley in the Bot. Reg. 
1838. tab. 18. The seeds of our plant were brought by Dr. 
Hooker from India. As we had not the opportunity of seeing 
the flowers and fruit in perfection, we copy Dr. Wight’s descrip- 
tion from the Bot. Misc. It seems a common species in most 
parts of India, especially about Madras. 
Derscr. Stems suftruticose, twining, branched; Jdranches 
rounded, hairy. etioles much enlarged at the base, six to eight 
inches long, cylindrical, hairy. Leaves ternate (trifoliolate), middle 
leaftet rhomboideo-elliptical, obtuse (scanty in our plant), mucro- 
nate; /ateral ones much dilated on the outside, and also mucro- 
nate, on short, thick, rusty, tomentose s/alks ; above, nearly gla- 
brous; below, silvery, from short appressed white hairs ; the veins 
very prominent beneath. Stipules filiform-subulate, those of the 
leaflets much smaller. Racemes pedunculated, axillary, pendulous, 
much shorter than the petioles, thyrsoid. Mowers large, dark 
purple. Pedicels in threes, short, arising from a small thick 
tubercle. Calya pubescent, two-lipped ; upper lip entire, obtuse ; 
under one three-cleft, the lobes acute. Corolla: vevillum not half 
the length of the keel, varying in colour from dirty white to pale 
(or deep) purple ; wings rather shorter than the keel, dark purple ; 
keel cylindrical to near the end, where it suddenly curves up- 
wards and terminates in a sharp spinous point. Stamens dia- 
delphous ; anthers alternately linear and globular. Pistil : ger- 
men short, hairy ; style filiform, pubescent for its whole length ; 
stigma subcapitate. Legume three to four inches long, and bent 
at the extremities, three-quarters of an inch to an inch, or very 
nearly so, broad, slightly compressed on the valves, not at all 
carinated, contracted between the seeds, and hence subtorulose, 
entirely covered with a thick coating of erect, white, prurient 
hairs, which usually turn black in drying, and brown in maturity. 
Seeds four or five, oval, not bound by a circular, linear Ac/um, 
but attached to a large, lateral funiculus. R. Wight. 
Fig. 1. Pistil :—magnified. 
