402 The Ohio Naturalist. [Vol. XV, No. 2, 



4. Falcata Gmel. 



Slender, glabrous or pubescent twining perennials. Leaves 

 trifoliate. Flowers axillary racemose, white to purple, the 

 style glabrous; pods linear oblong or obovoid, many to one seeded. 



Key to the Species. 



1. Glabrate or somewhat pubescent, the bracts small. Falcata comosa. (1). 

 1. Villous-brown pubescence, the bracts prominent. Falcata pitcheri. (2). 



1. Falcata comosa (L) Ktz. Hog-Peanut. A slender, twin- 

 ing, glabrous or slightly pubescent perennial, the stem )« ft. long, 

 and less than Xe in. in diameter. Leaflets thin, acute at the 

 apex, rounded at the base, 2/^ in. long, 1)^ in. wide, the bracts 

 small. Flowers K-/4 in. long, purple to white; pod 1 in. long, 

 % in. broad, the seeds 3-6, dark brown. 



This plant is found in moist thickets. General. It is also 

 called Pea Vine. 



2. Falcata pitcheri (T. & G.) Ktz. Pitcher's Hog-peanut. 

 Similar to the preceding, but generally stouter and villous- 

 pubescent thruout, with reflexed brown hairs; leaflets larger and 

 thicker; subterranean fruit less abundantly produced. In moist 

 thickets ; rather general in the State. 



5. Phaseolus (Toum.) L. Bean. 



Twining or erect annuals, or perennials, leaves trifoliate. 

 Flowers racemose axillary, white to purple, the style bearded 

 along the inner side, the keel of the corolla spirally coiled; pod 

 linear with a persistent style; the seed generally rounded at the 

 ends. 



Beans are almost universally cultivated for food of man. The 

 dry and the green seed, as well as the green pods are used. 



Key to the Species. 

 1. Flowers in racemes longer than the leaves. 2. 



1. Flowers in racemes shorter than the leaves. 3. 



2. Flowers small, 1-3 in. long, purple; native. Phaseolus polystachyus. (1). 



2. Flowers large, 3^ to 1 in. long, bright scarlet to white; cultivated. 



Phaseolus coccincus. (5). 



3. Flowers greenish, white, pods, broad, seeds flat. Phaseolus lunatus. (4). 



3. Flowers white to purple, pods linear, straight, seed usually oval. 4. 



4. Stem erect. Phaseolus nanus. (3). 



4. Stem twining, Phaseolus vulgaris. (2). 



1. Phaseolus polystachyus (L) B. S. P. Wild Bean. A 

 trailing or climbing perennial with the stem 4-15 ft. long and 

 K() in. in diameter. Leaflets broadly ovate, 2 in. long, 1)^ in. 

 wide, the stipules lanceolate. Flowers loosely racemose vipon 

 peduncles, longer than the leaves, the pedicels with minute- 

 bracts, each flower }i-)i in. in length, purple; pods curved, droop- 

 ing, stalked flat 1/^-2}^ in. long; the seeds chocolate-brown. 



