256 CALYCIFLORyT.. 



that the larger fish recover gradually from the effects of the 

 poison, but that the younger fry perish. The practice has 

 therefore been generally discountenanced, and has very pro- 

 perly been prohibited, under severe penalties, by legislative 

 enactment. Experiments are wanting to determine, what effect 

 would be produced on the human system by the administration 

 of this plant internally. It has been suggested that it would pro- 

 bably resemble Digitalis in its action, and might prove, in a 

 climate where that plant does not grow, a desirable substitute. 

 It may be mentioned, that the roots of Tephrosia lepto- 

 STACHYA, and the leaves of T. senna, are purgative. It is pro- 

 bable, therefore, that the plant before us may act as an evacu- 

 ant, combined with some peculiar depressing influence on the 

 nervous system. 



2. Tephrosia procumbens. Procumbent Tephrosia. 



SufFrutescent, branches procumbent, leaflets 4-5- 

 paired with an odd one ovato-oblong apiculated 

 appresso-pubescent beneath, racemes opposite to a leaf 

 elongated, legumes erect pubescent about 10-seeded, 



Galega, No. 2. Browne, 289. — Tephrosia cinerea, Pers. 

 Ench. II. 328? 



HAB. Savannahs in the neighbourhood of Kingston. 



FL. October — January. 



Suffrutescent : branches a foot or more in length, lying along 

 the ground, subsimple, subtetragonal and appresso-pubescent 

 towards their extremities. Leaflets 4-5-paired with an odd 

 one, obovato-oblong, or cuneato-oblong, subglabrous above, 

 appresso-pubescent and of an ash-colour beneath. Stipules \ of 

 an inch in length, lanceolato-subulate. Racemes opposite to a 

 leaf, 6 inches in length, simple : peduncle compressed, angulose, 

 pubescent. Flowers rather large, resembling those of T. rosea, 

 showy, I'ose-coloured, shortly pedicelled, 3 together, furnished 

 with 3 lanceolato-subulate bracteas at the insertion. Calyx 

 externally sericeo-puberulous ; upper lip bipartite for half 

 the length, with the divisions setaceo-attenuated, approxi- 

 mating ; lower lip 3-partite for more than half the length, with 

 the divisions setaceo-attenuated and the middle one somewhat 

 longer than the others. Standard externally sericeo-pubescent. 

 Stamens submonadelphous ; tube of the filaments slit up on the 

 upper surface, with the 10th slightly cohering to one of the 

 edges. Ovary linear, compressed, puberuious : style curved : 

 stigma obtuse, ciliated. Legume 2 inches in length, linear, 

 compresso-plane, pubescent, incurvato-mucronate with a per- 

 sistent portion of the style at the apex: seeds 10, slightly com- 

 pressed, variegated. 



