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



6. Strophostyles Ell. 



Twining pubescent annuals, or perennials in pedunculate 

 lieads or sessile, purple; the keel of the corolla strongly incurved; 

 style bearded along the inner side, the pods linear and straight. 



1. Strophostyles helvola (L.) Britt. Trailing Wild Bean. A 

 twining pubescent annual with the stem 2-8 ft. long and Ke in. in 

 diameter. Leaflets lobed or regular, ovate at the base, acute 

 at the apex, 1-3 in. long, 1-2 in. wide. Peduncles longer than the 

 leaves, axillary; flowers 3-10, capitate, Js-}^ in. long, purple; pod 

 pubescent, the seed brown to black. 



The range of territory from which this species is reported shows 

 the distribution general over the state. Erie, Ottawa, Cuyahoga, 

 Tuscarawas, Washington, Athens, Meigs, Hocking and Scioto. 



7. Vigna Savi. 

 Twining or erect annuals. Leaves trifoliate. Flowers capi- 

 tate or somewhat racemose, the keel of the corolla short, slightly 

 incurved, yellow or white to purple; pods long, hnear, the seeds 

 small, light or dark, usually with a different coloring about the 

 hilum. 



Key to the Species. 



1. Stem erect or slightly twining, 2-4 ft. long, pod 6-9 in. long. 



Vigna sinensis. (1). 



2. Stem twining, 5-10 ft. long, pod 10-36 in. long. Vigna sesquipedalis . (2). 



1. Vigna sinensis (L) Endl. China Bean. A twining or 

 erect herbaceous annual, 2-4 ft. high, Ke-zs in. in diameter. Leaf- 

 lets 2-6 in. long, 1-3 in. wide, the stipules ovate or ovate lanceolate. 

 Flowers 73-/^ in. long, capitate or racemose, white or yellow to 

 purple; pods 6-9 in. long, the seeds white to brown, having a 

 contrasting ring of color around the hilum; seeds 4-20, separated 

 in the pod by a coriaceous tissue. 



The China Bean is being cultivated in Ohio for pasturage and 

 as a soiling crop. It is also used for the food of man in the green 

 and dry state. The China Bean has recently been called Cow 

 Pea quite generally, especially in Agricultural Literature. But 

 this name is confusing, since the plant is a typical sj^ecies of the 

 beans and is not at all like any of the peas. 



2. Vigna sesquipedalis (L) Wight. Yard Bean. A climbing 

 annual 5-10 ft. long, )i6-}8 in. in diameter. Leaflets 2-6 in. long, 

 1-3 in. wide. Flowers 73-I in. long, yellow or white to purple; 

 pod 10-36 in. long, )^ in. wide; seeds 10-20, light brown. 



The Yard Bean is often cultivated for an ornament or curiosity, 

 on account of its long pods. It is now generally used for food, 

 when in the snap stage. It is also called Asparagus Bean. 



Date of Publication, December 18, 1914. 



