266 CALYClFLOUiE. 



eels solitary, legumes subdeflected with the joints 

 semi-orbicLilate hispid with minutely hooked hairs. 



Hedysarum triphyllnm fruticosum supinum, flore purpureo, 

 Sloane, I. 185. t. 118. f. 2— Hedysarum, Plum. Ic. 149. f. I.— 



H. canescens, Mill. Diet H. incanum, Swartz, Ft. Ind. Occ. 



1265. — ^schynomene incana, Meyer, 245. — Desmodium in- 

 canum, De Cand.Frod. II. 332. 



HAB. Common in pastures and by the roadsides. 



FL. Throughout the year. 



Stem, when growing in thickets, suberect, but, in open 

 clear places, procumbent and rooting at the base, afterwards 

 ascending. Branches long, simple, towards their extremities 

 somewhat angulose. Leaflets petiolulated, the middle one the 

 largest, oblongo-ovate or elliptic, minutely apiculated, nerved, 

 veined, subglabrous or hispidulous, with minute hooked hairs 

 above, incano-pubescenfc (approaching to villous) beneath : pe- 

 tiole channelled above, coloured, hispidulous. Stipules half the 

 length of the petiole, broad at the base, acuminate at the apex, 

 ciliated, marescent : stipels setaceo-subulate. Racemes ter- 

 minal, or afterwards, from the stem elongating by a develop- 

 ment of a bud in the axil of the subterminal leaf, opposite to a 

 leaf, 4-6 inches in length, filiform, striated : pedicels solitary, A 

 an inch in length, furnished at the base with three small lanceo- 

 late (the centre one the largest) bracteas. Flowers small, 

 purple. Calyx ebracteolated, coloured, ciliated: upper lip bifid; 

 under 3-partite with the divisions lanceolate. Standard obo- 

 vate, emarginate ; wings obovato-oblong, rather larger than 

 the keel; keel bifid at the apex. Stamens 9 and I. Ovary 

 linear, pubescent : style short : stigma obtuse. Legume usually 

 deflected, 6-7 -jointed ; joints semi-orbiculate, hispid with 

 minutely uncinate hairs. 



The leaves of this species vary very much in shape. In 

 thickets the oblong figure prevails ; whereas in open clear 

 places they approach to roundish. It is a very common weed 

 in pastures, and troublesome, from the joints of the pods at- 

 taching themselves to the clothes. The specific designation of 

 hoary is applied, from the under surface of the leaves being 

 incano-puhescent. 



I consider H. supinum of Swartz to be merely a variety of 

 the present species. 



2. Desmodium tortuosum. Tortuous-podded Des- 

 modium. 



Stem erect herbaceous hispid with hooked hairs 

 suffrutescent at the base, leaves ovali-oblong hispid 

 on both sides hirsute along the nerves beneath, sti- 



