XXIX. THE BEAN FAMILY. 457 



membranous wings. It is an immense and perfectly natural 

 family, distributed throughout almost every part of the globe. 

 De Candolle describes, as belonging to it, 280 genera, contain- 

 ing upwards of 2600 species. Of these, 900 species are found 

 within the tropics, nearly 1300 north of them and 400 south. 

 There are, at present, in all, not less than 3700 species. 



The distinctive characters of the Family are : — Sepals united 

 into a 5-cleft or 5-toothed calyx ; the odd segment lowest. Pe- 

 tals 5, or, by abortion, fewer or none, either papilionaceous or 

 regular, the odd petal superior. Stamens inserted, with the 

 petals, into the base of the calyx, distinct or in one, two, or, very 

 rarely, three bundles. Ovary simple, solitary, very rarely 2 or 

 more, free from the calyx. Ovules solitary or several. Style 

 proceeding from the upper suture. Fruit a legume, or some- 

 times a drupe. Seeds solitary or several, attached to the upper 

 suture. Embryo straight or with its radicle bent back along 

 the edge of the cotyledons. Cotyledons either remaining under 

 ground in germination, or rising above and becoming green like 

 the leaves. 



Of this family, Lindley says, "it is not only among the most 

 extensive that are known, but also one of the most important to 

 man, with reference to the objects either of ornament, of utility, 

 or of nutriment, which it comprehends. When we reflect that 

 the Cercis, which renders the gardens of Turkey resplendent 

 with its myriads of purple flowers ; the Acacia, not less valued 

 for its airy foliage and elegant blossoms than for its hard and 

 durable wood;. the Braziletto, Logwood, and Rosewoods of com- 

 merce ; the Laburnum ; the classical Cytisus ; the Furze and the 

 Broom, both the pride of the otherwise dreary heaths of Europe ; 

 the Bean, the Pea, the Vetch, the Clover, the Trefoil, the Lucerne, 

 all staple articles of culture by the farmer, are so many species 

 of Leguminosae ; and that the gums Arabic and Senegal, Kino, 

 and various precious medicinal drugs, not to mention Indigo, 

 the most useful of all dyes, are products of other species, — it 

 will be perceived that it would be difficult to point out an order 

 with greater claims upon the attention." 



The general character of the family is, to be eminently whole- 

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