DICOTYLEDONS 



FAMILY XXXIX. LEGUMINOS^E. 



TREES, shrubs, or herbs. Leaves alternate or rarely opposite, 

 nearly always compound, sometimes simple, generally with 

 stipules. Peduncles axillary or terminal, with one to numerous 

 flowers. Flowers : irregular generally hermaphrodite, or regular 

 generally polygamous. Sepals more or less united, generally 

 5 in the irregular flowers, the fifth lowest ; 5 or 4 in the regular 

 flowers. Petals as many as the sepals ; in the irregular fl<>\\ <T- 

 the fifth highest. Stamens generally twice as many as tl it- 

 petals, sometimes as many, sometimes indefinite, few or numerous, 

 usually inserted on the margin of the receptacle. Carpel 

 solitary, 1-celled ; ovules numerous, attached at the interim- 

 angle. Fruit a pod, sometimes splitting into one-seeded joinl>. 

 Endosperm scanty or wanting. Cotyledons generally flat, 

 foliaceous or thick and fleshy ; radicle superior. 



Species over 12,000 in number, found in e\ery part of tin- 

 world. 



SUBFAMILY 1. PAPILIONATJE. 



Flower.-, papilionaceous. Petals imbricate, the uppermost 

 outside. Stamens 9 or 10, united into a sheath, or distinct in 

 ^ 11, 12 numerous in ^ 12. Leaves simple, digitate or pinnate, 



KEY TO SECTION-. 



Leaves simple, or digitate with 1, 3, or 5 leaflet . 

 Flowers racemose or solitary I. 



Flowers in heads. Pod enclosed in the withered 



calyx and corolla '2. 



Flowers covered by large bracts ^ ''. Flt'iiii>ii<i. 



Leaves digitate with "2 or 4 leaflets L Xornia. 



Leaves reduced to spines >j 1 . ( /<.'>. 



iv. r. 



