ELEMENTARY BOTANY OF THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCY. 269 



Zomia angustifolia, also called barki, is a little plant of much the 

 same character as this, the 2 pair of leaflets longer and narrow, the 

 bracts sagittate and almost hiding the flowers, the joints of the 

 pods prickly, and sometimes as many as 5* 



11. Alhagi. Leaves simple ; joints of pod several* 



A. maurorum, Camel-thorn. A low shrub with green branches 

 and strong hard thorns, one to each leaf; leaves sessile, obloug or 

 obovate, rather fleshy; flowers small, red or purple, in short racemes, 

 which end in a bristly point. JaiOas, Kas. Very common in 

 G uzerat and Sind, where it is the usual material for tatties. 



12. Smithia. Herbs; leaflets many, small; corolla yellow, 

 generally with red spots at the base of the petals ; joints of the pod 

 flattened and folded together within the calyx. 



Note. — Of 12 Indian species 9 are found in this Presidency, and 

 all within a very limited range, viz., the S. Konkan and the Ghauts 

 bounding it ; one or two species also about Belgaura. None of the 

 species can be called common, though some are abundant locally ; 

 they are all remarkable for their beauty, and at Dapoli, 8. sensitiva } 

 S. bigemina, and S. pycnantha all appear together in the rains. One 

 only, S. purpurea, has purple flowers with white spots at the base. 



13. Alysicarpus. Diffuse plants; leaves generally simple; keel 

 obtuse, adhering to the wings ; pod of several joints flattened, nob 

 twisted. 



(1) A. vaginalis. Rather hairy; leaves from oval to lanceolate, 

 cordate at base; stipules large; flowers in racemes, red, whitish 

 beneath ; pod thickened at the joints, which are not much divided ; 

 calyx in fruit large and chaffy. Cliai, dhdmpta. Common in the 

 Deccan, Konkan and Guzerat. H. makes (2) A. tiummularifolius, 

 which has roundish leaves, and pods almost cylindrical only, a 

 variety of this. It also is common. 



14. Desmodium. Leaves simple or trifoliate ; pod of several 

 joints, often straight on one side and divided on the other. 



(1) D.triquetrum. A shrubby rather hairy plant, with triangular 

 branches ; leaves ovate, with winged petioles; stipules large, 

 lanceolate ; flowers small, in long erect racemes, purple or violet ; 

 pod of about 6 irregular joints, beaked. Kdkgdnja. Common and 

 easily recognizable. 



(2) D. gangeticum is sufficiently like this to be recognised as a 

 relation. Stems irregularly angled; leaves broad, ovate, rather 

 cordate. Sal wan Bombay and S. Konkan. 



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