FABACEAE. 187 



14. ABRUS L. Syst. ed. 12, 2: -172. 1767. 



Slender, somewhat woody vines, with evenly pinnate leaves, the numerous 

 small estipellate leaflets entire, the rachis terminating in a small bristle, the 

 small rose to white flowers clustered at the nodes of axillary or terminal 

 racemes. Calyx subtruncate, its teeth very short. Standard ovate, with a broad 

 and short claw; wings oblong, falcate; keel curved, larger than the wings. 

 Stamens 9, monadelphous. Ovary nearly sessile, several-many-ovuled; style 

 short, curved ; stigma terminal. Pod flat, 2-valved, partitioned between the sub- 

 globose, shining seeds. [Greek, graceful.] Five known species, of tropical 

 regions, the following typical. 



1. Abrus Abrus (L.) W. F. Wight, Contr. tJ. S. Nat. Herb. 9: 171. 1905. 



Glycine Abrus L. Sp. PI. 753. 1753. 



Abrus precatorius L. Syst. ed. 12, 2: 472. 1767. 



Stems woody below, nearly herbaceous above, climbing or twining to a 

 length of 2-3 m., glabrous, or the young parts sparingly pubescent. Stipules 

 linear, acute, 3-5 mm. long; petioles short, mostly less than 1 cm. long; leaves 

 5-10 cm. long, the very slender rachis sparingly pubescent; leaflets 8-15 pairs, 

 8-20 mm. long, oblong or the upper ones obovate, glabrous above, sparingly 

 puberulent beneath, rounded and mucronulate at the apex, rounded at the base, 

 very short-stalked, readily detached when dry; racemes peduncled, 3-8 cm. long; 

 corolla red to purple, rarely white, 8-10 mm. long; pod oblong, beaked, 2-3.5 

 cm. long, about 1 cm. wide; seeds scarlet with a black base. 



Scrub-lands and waste places, Andres, New Providence, Bleuthera, Cat Island 

 and Great Bxuma : West Indies; continental tropical America; Old World tropics. 

 Crab's-eyes. Black-eyed Susan. 



15. CLITORIA L. Sp. PI. 753. 1753. 



Woody vines, or erect or climbing herbs, with pinnately 3-foliolate or some- 

 times 5-9-foliolate leaves, persistent stipule-, and large axillary flowers. Calyx 

 tubular, 5-toothed, the upper teeth more or less united; standard large, erect, 

 refuse, narrowed at the base, not spurred ; wings oblong, curved ; keel acute, 

 shorter than the wings; stamens more or less monadelphous; anthers all alike; 

 ovary stipitate; style elongated, incurved, hairy along the inner side; pod 

 stalked in the calyx, linear or linear-oblong, flattened, 2-valved, partly septate 

 between the seeds. About 30 species, natives of warm and temperate regions. 

 Type species: Clitoria Ternatca L. 



1. Clitoria Ternatea L. Sp. PI. 753. 1753. 



Perennial, herbaceous or slightly woody below, slender, twining to a height 

 of 2 m. or more, or, if without support, prostrate, pubescent, at least on the 

 younger parts. Stipules linear-lanceolate, acuminate, 5-8 mm. long; petioles 

 slender, pubescent, 13 cm. long; leaflets 5-9 (usually 5), ovate or oval, short- 

 stalked, 2 3.5 cm. long, mostly obtuse at the apex, obtuse or narrowed at the 

 base, thin, glabrous above, somewhat pubescent beneath; peduncles 1-flowered, 

 1-2 cm. long; bracts ovate-orbicular, obtuse, 5-7 mm. long; calyx about 1.7 cm. 

 long, its lanceolate lobes acuminate; corolla large, blue and white, the standard 

 3-4 cm. lony ; pod nearly sessile, flat, linear, beaked, pubescent, 13 em. long or 

 less, about 1 cm. wide; seeds compressed, subreniform, mottled. 5 6 mm. long. 



Fields and waste places, spontaneous after cultivation. New Providence and 

 Inagua : a native of tropical Africa ; spontaneous after cultivation throughout the 

 West Indies and tropical America, nnd in Florida. Blue h:a. 



