* 
258 DIADELPHIA DECANDRIA, Abrus, 
Gunja. Asiat. Res. ii, 154, and 499, © 
This is one of the most common plants in every part of In- 
dia. Flowering time the close of the rains, 
Root ramous. Stem ligneous, twining ; bark smooth ; young 
shoots with a few, white, depressed sce Leaves alternate, 
abruptly pinnate, from two to six inches long. Leaflets op- 
posite, sub-sessile, from eight to fifteen pair, linear-oblong, 
smooth, entire, both ends obtuse, the Jower pairs smaller. Pe- 
tioles, the common channelled on the upper side, and a little 
hairy. Stipules of the leaves lanceolate, of the leaflets minute. 
Racemes axillary, solitary, long-peduncled, The peduncle it- 
self horizontal, thick, and strong, often leaf- bearing. The ra- 
ceme, or flower-bearing part, erect, secund, with the apex 
projecting in a curve. /owers numerous, short-pedicelled, 
inserted on two rows of large, alternate, round, glandular tu-- 
berosities, growing on the exterior side of the raceme, pretty 
large, and of a pale pink colour. Calyx campanulate, mouth 
obscurely five-toothed. Corol ; banner ovate, sides deflected, 
apex ascending, the length of the wings, Wings falcate, pro- 
jecting horizontally. Kee/ cymbiform, the length of the other 
petals, Filaments nine, conjoined into a cylinder, with a fis- 
sure on the upper side, the distinct portions erect, and alter- 
nately shorter. Anthers ovate, small. Pistid minute, hid in 
the base of the tube of the stamens. Germ hairy. Style very 
short. Stigma headed. Legume of a long-rhomboidal shape, 
protuberant at the seeds, divided by transverse membranes, 
into as many cells as there are seeds. Seeds generally four 
or five, spherical, smooth, of a bright, shining red, or white, 
with a black mark at the eye, or more rarely black with @ 
white eye. 
The seeds are often used as weights by. jewellers. 
The root is employed as a substitute for liquorice, (G/y- 
eyrrhiza glabra,) being like it, sweet and mucilaginous, 
Of this pretty ee? Ihave met with three varietes in am 
viz. 
1st, With ers fovers red sa and black eye 
