No. 95, VICIA- 



111 



as mild stimulants, strengthen the stomach, promote 

 diuresis, and are said to correct the secretions of the^ 

 liver, so as to remove melancholy or hypochondrical 

 affections. 



-H 



No. 95. VICIA FABA. 



V 



b 



Names. Horse Bean. Fr, Feve commune. Vulgar, 

 Windsor Bean, Big Bean, Sweet Bean. 



Classify Nat. Order of Leguminose. 

 candria L. 



Diadelphia de- 



Genus ViciA, Calyx tubular, bilabiate, upper lip 

 • notched, lower trifid. Corolla papilionaceous, vexillum 

 notched, adpressed. Stamina 9, monadelphous, 1 free. 

 Stigma bearded transversely below. Pod oblong poly- 

 sperm, seeds round or compressed. 



Sp. Vidafaba. L. Leaves without tendrils, with few 

 foUoles, ovate, entire, stipules sagittate, base toothed : 

 flowers ternate sessile : pods erect, turgid, seeds com- 

 pressed. 



DESCRIPTION. Root annual. Stem erect, 2 to 

 5 feet high, flexuose terete, seldom branched. Leaves 

 alternate, with sigittate acute stipules, tootlied at the 

 base, from 4 to 6 folioles, alternate sessile, ovate acute* 

 entire, no tendrils. Flowers axillary, sessile, commonly 

 ternate, or from 2 to 10 racemose, large, erect, oblong, 

 white, with two fine black spots on the wings. Pods 

 large, 3 to 8 inches long, oblong turgid, thicker above, 

 membranaceous tomentose, end mucronate, from 3 to 8 

 large seeds, shaped like a bean, reniform compressed^ 

 thicker at both ends, of a bright brown color, 



HISTORY. The genus Victa requires revision; the 

 species are more connected by habit than characters. 

 This species hardljj^ belongs to it; Brotero calls it Orobus 

 faba; some botanists jPd?a sativa, restoring the genu^ 

 Faba of the elder botanists. It must, at any rate, form 

 a subgenus thus : 



\.SuG. FfAa. Pod oblong, swelled and turgid, seeds 

 compressed reniform. 



