138 



FAMILIES OF FLOWERING PLANTS 



uudershrubs. Their chief value is as forage or grazing plants and as 

 honey producers. 



Tribe Loteae. The genus Loins exhibits considerable diversity, 

 both in habit and in the color of its flowers. It is widely represented 

 in the Pacific States, and also in Europe. 



Tribe Galegieae. The large genus Incligofera is well known on 

 account of the beautiful blue dye yielded by /. tinctoria and /. Anil. 

 Ornamental garden plants are afforded by wisteria {Kraunlila) and 

 locust {Bobinia), the native pink flowered species of which are very 



beautiful. The Liberian pea 

 tree {Caragana) is also orna- 

 mental, and is of considerable 

 economic value in the regions 

 where it occurs. The bark fur- 

 nishes tough cordage, and the 

 seeds are good food for poul- 

 try. On our western plains 

 the traveler will notice the 

 great abundance and variety of 

 species of Astragalus and re- 

 lated genera. These are herba- 

 ceous plants of clover-like ap- 

 pearance, but decidedly oppo- 

 site in the character of their 

 herbage, since many of them 

 are "loco" weeds, and are ex- 

 tremely poisonous to cattle. 

 The licorice tree (GlycyrrJiiza) 

 yields the familiar sweet drug 

 of our childhood. 

 Tribe Hedysarieae. This includes some European genera valu- 

 able for forage purposes, notably Onobrychis and Coronilla. It also 

 includes that toothsome product of our southern States, the peanut 

 {Arachis hypogaea). The tick-trefoils {Bleihomia) are common and 

 troublesome weeds whose jointed pods are beset "with fine l^ristles, giv- 

 ing them abundant opportunity to travel about and seek new abiding 

 places through the agency of the passer-by (see Fig. 121). M. gyrans, 

 of India, the telegraph-plant, is said to indicate approaching storms by 

 the movement of its sensitive leaflets. 



Tribe Dalbergieae. The tropical genera Dalbergia, Macliaerium 

 and Pterocarpus, besides being ornamental, furnish useful timber. 

 Dipteryx odorata yields the tonka bean, which is extensively used by 



Fig. 121. The hoary tick-trefoil Meibomia canes- 

 cens. After Britten & Browu, 111. Fl. Northeast. U. S. 



