270 BOMBAY NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 



The next two genera are of the Vetch tribe, distinguished by 

 pinnate leaves ending in a tendril. 



15. Abrus. Climbers, with only 9 stamens united id a tube split 

 above ; style short, incuryed. 



A. precatoriud. A small climber; stem woody; leaflets numerous, 

 oblong, blunt ; pod linear, flat beaked ; seeds like a small pea, 

 scarlet, with black spot. Gunj, chanoti. Very common in hedges 

 but not very attractive. The very pretty seeds are used as 

 weights by goldsmiths. There is a variety with white seeds, 

 spotted black. 



16. Cicer. Leaflets toothed; flowers solitary; pod sessile, turgid, 

 tipped with the style. 



C. arietinum. Gram. Has generally a terminal leaflet instead 

 of a tendril. Harbara, channa. 



The next 9 geuera (belonging to tribe Phaseolece) are either clim- 

 bers or trees, with trifoliate leaves (except Clitoria) and linear pods. 



17. Mucuna. Flowers large ; keel larger than the standard and 

 wings ; pod covered with stinging hairs. 



M. 'priiriens. A hairy twiner ; leaflets ovate, unequal-sided ; 

 flowers lurid purple, in drooping racemes; pod large, curved, more 

 or less S-shaped. Hawaj, Knhili, Kuyeri. Common in hedges (from 

 the Himalayas to Ceylon.) H. The pods are awkward to touch, 

 owing to the stinging hairs. 



18. Erythrina. Trees with prickly branches and red flowers; 

 pod turgid. 



E. Indica. Indian coral tree. Bark light and greenish ; petioles 

 very long ; flowers large, in racemes ; pod several inches long ; 

 very protuberant at the seeds, which are dark red. Pdngara, 

 m&uddr. One of the commonest and showiest trees in the Konkan. 

 A white- flowered variety is said to grow in Salsette. 



19. Butea. Trees or climbing shrubs; flowers large and showy ; 

 keel much curved ; pod linear, with one seed at the point. 



B.frondosa. Petioles long ; leaflets large, roundish ; flowers many 

 together in long racemes, orange red and silky ; calyx and pedicels 

 deep bottle green ; pod thin and downy. Pallas, Kdkria. This 

 is even a more striking tree than the last when in flower, which is 

 before the leaves appear. It is common in most parts, but not in 

 S. Konkan, and is called dhah in Bengal, &c. 



20. Canavalia. Flowers showy ; standard large, roundish ; pod 



thick, three keeled. 



