12 THE AMERICAN BOTANIST 



and then it winds through the woods down to a point which 

 nearly divides the water. At the end of this point a bridge 

 has been constructed making it possible to return on the other 

 side. 



Driving over the same way on July 6, 1920, recent rains 

 had brought the vegetation into superb condition, and the 

 roadside w^as decorated with brilliant masses of flowers, most 

 conspicuous of which were the roses and vetches {Lathyriis 

 Tcnosiis and Vicia Americana). Some of the dark red roses 

 were the most handsome I have seen, and the LatJiynis vcnosus 

 is a truly beautiful and characteristic plant. The late Dr. Lu- 

 nell, an ardent champion of wild flowers, has described (Am. 

 Mid. Nat. 4:431) as the most beautiful display he had ever 

 seen a whole acre of this plant. 



It seems strange that this attractive flower has not re- 

 ceived a distinctive common name, but none has come to the 

 writer's notice. "Wild sweet pea" is made to serve for near- 

 ly any native legume, the flower of which attains an appreci- 

 able size regardless of odor, or simply "wild pea", which 

 applies equally well to some hundreds of plants. I have there- 

 for proposd (Am. Mid. Nat. 7:92) "bushy vetch", a name 

 suggested on this very trip by the ease with which it grows 

 upright, seemingly alone, but slightly supported by small 

 shrubs or other plants. Perhaps it may be permissable to 

 interpret the name as referring also to its characteristic habit 

 of growing among such plants. Growing in the open, the 

 stems stand erect to a height of a foot or more. Init where 

 .somewhat protected, clasping the finger of a neighbor, it 

 readily reaches three or four feet and extends its dense clusters 

 of large purple flowers. The more slender wild vetch is some- 

 what overshadowed, but is an ardent ally rather than compet- 

 itor. 



