Dec, 1914.] Viciece and Phaseolece of Ohio. 395 



Key to the Species. 



1. Stem erect, quadrangular. Vicia faba (1). 



1. Stem climbing, weak or trailing. 2. 



2. Peduncle very short or wanting, flowers 1 or 2, axilliary. 3. 



2. Peduncle elongated, flowers racemed or spicate. 4. 



3. Leaflets oblong, oval or obovate; stipules broad; flowers }^-% in. long, 



bluish purple. Vicia saliva. (8). 



3. Leaflets except those of the lower leaves, linear or linear oblong. 



Vicia angustifolia (9). 



4. Spikelike raceme, dense, secund, or one-sided, 15-40 flowered. 5. 



4. Flowers in a loose raceme, not one-sided, 1-20 flowered. 6. 



5. Stem, leaves and flowers villous pubescent; annual or biennial. Cul- 



tivated. Vicia villosa. (3). 



5. Plant glabrous or ver}'^ finely pubescent; perennial. Vicia cracca. (2). 



6. Stipules rather broad, foliaceous, triangular ovate, sharply toothed. 



Vicia americana. (4). 



6. Stipules linear or linear oblong, entire. 7. 



7. Flowers 8-24; white, keel tipped with blue. Vicia caroliniana. (5). 



7. Flowers 1-6; bluish purple. 8. 



8. Calyx glabrous, ovules 3-6, flowers g to j in. long. 



Vicia tetrasperma. (6). 

 8. Calyx pubescent ovules 2; flowers \ in. long. Vicia kirsuta (7). 



1. Vicia faba L. HorvSe Vetch. An erect cultivated annual 

 with a green, more or less reddish, 4-angled stem, 2-6 ft. high and 

 Vi-Yi in. in diameter. Leaves with a terminal leaflet or bract; 

 leaflets oval, 2 in. long, 1}^ in. wide, stipules % in. broad, having 

 prominent nectar glands. Flowers sessile, light-blue to purple; 

 pods thick, broad, curved, pendent, the reddish brown seeds 

 usually nearly circular, 1 inch broad, and the hilum )i of the 

 circumference. Some varieties resemble the common bean in 

 shape. 



Vicia Faba is the bean of Roman history. It was often used as 

 a counter in their mathematical calculations. The cool, wet 

 climate of England is well suited for its cultivation, and it is there 

 used for the food of man as well as for horses and cattle. It 

 is cultivated in Ohio as an ornamental plant and occasionally 

 for food. The seeds are used green or dried, boiled or roasted. 

 It is also called Horse Bean, Broad Bean, Broad Windsor, English 

 Broad Bean and English Dwarf Bean. 



2. Vicia cracca L. Cow Vetch. A weak trailing glabrous, 

 or very finely pubescent perennial, 2-4 ft. long and Ke in- in 

 diameter. Leaflets 4-12 pairs, linear %-% in. long, K2-% in. wide, 

 tendrils branched, the stipules linear, K2-/3 in. long. Flowers 

 bluish-purple to white, % in. long, arranged in a dense, secund, 

 15-40 flowered raceme 1-4 in. long; pods /4-I in. long; seeds 3-8, 

 round and velvety black. 



It is generally found in dry soil. Columbiana, Wayne, Lake, 

 Huron, Seneca, Cuyahoga. The Cow Vetch is also called Bird 

 Vetch, Blue Vetch and Tufted Vetch. 



