FLORA CAPENSIS. 
Orprr XLVIIL LEGUMINOSA, Juss. 
(By W. H. Harvey). 
Calyx free, 5-toothed, cleft or parted, equal or unequal, the odd seg- 
ment in front. Petals 5 (some or all occasionally wanting), usually 
unequal. Stamens definite or indefinite, variously combined. Ovary 
simple (formed of one carpel), with one or many ovules, attached by 
cords to the ventral suture ; style proceeding from the upper margin, 
i.e. continuous with the ventral suture ; stigma simple. Fruzta legume, 
rarely drupaceous. Seeds one or many, without albumen ; embryo 
either straight, or with the embryo bent back on the cotyledons. 
A vast Order, found in all parts of the globe, and including huge trees, shrubs, 
and small or minute herbaceous plants of extremely different aspect. Leaves mostly 
alternate, and generally compound ; sometimes with pellucid dots ; sometimes resin- 
dotted. Stipules 2 or 1 at the base of the petiole ; and often 2 stipellee at the base 
of each leaflet. Pedicels commonly jointed and bibracteate below the flower. The 
three Sub-Orders, as characterised below, are readily distinguished from each other 
by the estivation of the corolla, or the mode in which its petals are folded together in 
the bud. In the rst Sub-Order, which comprises by far the largest number of the 
S. African genera, the corolla is “ papilionaceous,” that is, shaped like the blossom 
of the common garden pea. In such a corolla the uppermost or back petal, which 
is usually turned or rolled backwards, equal sided, and broader than the others, is 
called the vexillwm or standard ; the two lateral petals are the ale or wings ; and 
the two front petals, whose lamine are often partly or completely connate into a 
boat-shaped piece, together make up the carina or keel. : 
The distribution into Tribes, here adopted, is that proposed by Mr. Bentham,-~who 
has studied this most natural Order more successfully than any living botanist, and 
whose admirable papers on the South African Leguminose, published in Hooker's 
London Journal of Botany, I have taken as the groundwork of my descriptions ; 
verifying every description, however, when p with authentically named 
specimens. An examination of Toanburgy Levaiseoue , preserved at Upsal and 
Stockholm, has enabled me to correct several names, and clear up some doubtful 
species of early writers ; and even to add some species, collected but not described 
by Thunberg, and which have escaped the notice of subsequené travellers. The 
student, in using the following Table of Genera, will pay particular attention in ex- 
amining Papilionacee, to the combination of the stamens (diadelphous, monadelphous, 
or free) ; to the nature of the foliage ; and the condition, whether twining or not, of 
the stem. Thus, if the stamens be free, the plant must belong either to Podalyriee 
or to Sophoree. If the stamens be united, and the leaves simple, without stipules, it 
will fall either under Lipariee or the first three genera of Genistee : if the leaves be 
imple, and stipulate, other characters must be looked to. Psoralece (with solitary 
po , and Indigofera (with apiculate anthers) include every variety of foliage. 
Palmately 3~s5-foliolate, stipulate leaves chiefly characterize Genistee (with mona- 
delphous stamens) and Trifoliee (with diadelphous stamens). Pinnato-trifoliolate 
leaves and tzvining stems are characteristic of Phaseolee. Pinnate-plurijugate leaves 
characterise Galegee, Astragalee, and Dalbergiec, which all differ in their legumes ; 
and occur also in Abrus, among Phaseolee, and in some Hedysaree. Pinnate-tendril 
tipped leaves are peculiar to Viciew. Hedysarec are only to be known by their more 
or less perfectly jointed or lomentaceous pods ; but several of the genera have one- 
seeded (and of course inarticulate) pods. On the whole, in the absence of absolute 
distinctive characters to the Tribes, the student will do well, if in doubt, to try un- 
der more than one, if unsuccessful in his first guess. The Tribes and genera are all 
natural groups, and not difficult to learn, when the eye has become accustomed to 
their ‘‘ habit,” or external characters. as 
VOL, Il. 
