[ 52i ] 



Orobus Vernus. Early-Flowering 

 Orobus or Bitter-Vetch. 



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C/^/Jr W Onfer. 



DlADELPHIA DECANDRIA. , 



Generic Characler. 



Stylus linearis. Cat. bafi obtufus : laciniis fuperioribus pro- 

 fundioribus brevioribus. 



Specific Characler and Synonyms. 



OROBUS vernus foliis pinnatis ovatis, ftipulis femifagittatis 

 integerrimis, caule fimplici. Linn. Syfi. Veget. 

 ed. 14. Murr. p. 661. Ait. Kew. v. 3. p. 38. 



OROBUS fylvaticus purpureus vernus. Bauh. Pin. 351. 



OROBUS venetus. Blue upright everlafting Peafe. Park. 

 Parad. p. 337. /. 13. 



The Orobus vernusisd. hardy perennial, a native of Switzer- 

 land and Germany, growing to about the height of a foot, or 

 a foot and a half, and producing numerous fhewy flowers in 

 fpikes, at firft of a bright purple colour, afterwards blue, fre- 

 quently, but not in all fkuations, fucceeded by feed-veffels. 

 fparingly productive of feeds ; the fertility of the plant in this 

 refpeft depends as much on the favourablenefs of the feafon 

 as on foil and fituation ; for the cold Eafterly winds which 

 frequently prevail in April, when this plant is in bloffom, " ot 

 only mar its beauty, but render it unfruitful ; hence it is often 

 neceflary on thefe occafions, to cover it with a hand-glafs u 

 growing in the open border, or to remove it into the gi" ecn ' 

 houfe if kept in a pot; but by gentle forcing we gu ard 

 againft all accidents of weather, and may thus poffefs it in tb e 

 greateft perfection. 



It is ufually propagated by parting its roots in Autumn, °' 

 early in the Spring; may alfo be raifed from feeds, wh ictl 

 we fhould be careful to gather in time; prefers a foil moo e ' 

 raiely 11 iff and moift, and a Iheltered fituation. 



