GENUS 38. 



PEA FAMILY. 



17. Meibomia illinoensis (A. Gray) 

 Kuntze. Illinois Tick-trefoil. Fig. 2592. 



Desmodium illinoense A. Gray, Proc. Am. Acad. 



8: 289. 1870. 

 M. illinoensis Kuntze, Rev. Gen. PI 198. 1891. 



Erect, stout, 2-4 high, uncinate-pubescent. 

 Stipules ovate, acute, cordate, ciliate, pubes- 

 cent, persistent; petioles i'-2' long; leaflets 

 lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate, obtusish, coria- 

 ceous, scabrous above, strongly reticulate- 

 veined and cinereous beneath, 2'-3i' long, the 

 terminal one broader and longer than the lat- 

 eral ; racemes terminal, simple or compound ; 

 bracts deciduous, ovate-lanceolate ; calyx-lobes 

 acute, the upper one minutely 2-toothed; flow- 

 ers 3"-4" long; loments \'-\' long, often in 

 pairs, 3-6-jointed, the joints oval or orbicular, 

 densely uncinate-pubescent ; stipe not longer 

 than the short upper lobe of the calyx. 



Prairies and plains, Ontario (according to Ma- 

 coun) ; Ohio to Michigan, Iowa, Nebraska, Kan- 

 sas and Oklahoma. June-Sept. 



18. Meibomia canadensis (L.) Kuntze. 

 Canadian or Showy Tick-trefoil. Sain- 

 foin. Fig. 2593. 



Hedysarum canadense L. Sp. PI. 748. 1753. 

 Desmodium canadense DC. Prodr. 2: 328. 1825. 

 M. canadensis Kuntze, Rev. Gen. PL 195. 1891. 



Erect, stout, pubescent, 2-8 high. Stipules 

 linear-lanceolate, persistent, or at length decidu- 

 ous; lower petioles \'-\' long, the upper leaves 

 nearly sessile ; leaflets oblong or lanceolate-oblong, 

 obtuse, glabrous or roughish above, appressed- 

 pubescent beneath ; racemes terminal, densely 

 panicled ; flowers large, 5"-8" long, conspicuous, 

 purple or bluish-purple ; bracts ovate-lanceolate, 

 large, acute, ciliate, at length deciduous ; calyx- 

 lobes attenuate, the upper 2-toothed, the lower 

 ones elongated ; loment nearly sessile in the calyx, 

 about i' long, 3-5-jointed; joints triangular, 

 straight or convex on back, uncinate-pubescent. 



Thickets and river-banks, Nova Scotia to Mani- 

 toba, North Carolina, Missouri, Nebraska and Okla- 

 homa. Our most showy-flowered species. July-Sept. 

 Beggars'-lice. 



19. Meibomia rigida (Ell.) Kuntze. 

 Rigid Tick-trefoil. Fig. 2594. 



Hedysarum rigidum Ell. Bot. S. C. and Ga. 2: 215. 



1824. 



Desmodium rigidum DC. Prodr. 2: 330. 1825. 

 Meibomia rigida Kuntze, Rev. Gen. PL 198. 1891. 



Erect or ascending, rather rigid, finely uncinate- 

 pubescent, 2-3 high. Stipules small, lanceolate, 

 deciduous ; leaves petioled ; leaflets ovate, oblong 

 or oval, obtuse, thickish, scabrous above, pubes- 

 cent, especially along the veins beneath, i' 2' 

 long; racemes terminal, compound; flowers very 

 small, i "-2" long, purplish; upper lobe of the 

 calyx entire or minutely 2-toqthed, the 3 lower 

 ones slender ; loment sessile in the calyx, 1-3- 

 jointed, the joints obliquely ovate, rounded on 

 the back, uncinate-pubescent, about ii" long. 



In dry soil, New Hampshire to Florida, Michigan, 

 Nebraska, Kansas, Arkansas and Louisiana. July- 

 Oct. 



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