290 CALYCIFLOU^. 



fewer by abortion, ovate, compressed, with a fungous 

 callosity arising from the umbilicus. 



Herbaceous or suffrutescent twining plants; leaflets pinnato- 

 J3-foliate ; pedicels semiverticillate. 



1. Lablab vulgaris. Bonavist Bean. 

 Legumes oblongo-ventricose acinaciform, pericarp 

 easily withdrawn, seeds ovate slightly compressed, 

 basilary glandule hemispherical sulcated. — De Cand. 



Pliaseolus raaximus perennis, floribus spicatis, albis, speciosis, 

 siliquis brevibus latis, semen albnm bilo albido fere circum- 

 dante, Sloane, I. 177. t. 113.— Dolicbos Lablab, Linn. Sp. 

 1019. — Lablab vulgaris, Savi, Diss. 19. f. 8. 



HAB. Ruinate provision grounds. 

 ' FL. Througbout tbe year. 



Tbere are two varieties in tbe island : a. albijlorns, witb tbe 

 flowers wbite, bracteoles sborter tban tbe calyx, seeds of a pale 

 ferruginous colour: /3. pwpureus, witb tbe flowers purple, 

 bracteoles of tbe same lengtb as tbe tube of tbe calyx, seeds of 

 a dark purple, stem purpurascent. Tbe former is tbe most 

 common. Tbe stem is suff'rutescent at tbe base, and appears 

 to be perennial. It is continually in bearing, and lasts for 

 several years. Tbe pods are apt to bave a disagreeable beavy 

 smell, from being visited by a large green bug. Tbe bean is 

 very coarse, scarcely ever cultivated, and seldom made use of, 

 except in times of scarcity. It is originally a native of Egypt, 

 wbere it forms an important article of food to tbe poorer class 

 of the inbabitants. The pods, according to M. Achren (Journ. 

 de Chemie Medic. III. 102.), contain gallic acid. 



XXVII, Canavalia. 



Calyx tubulose bilabiate ; under lip S-dentate ; 

 upper of two rounded lobes. Vexillum large, bi- 

 callose, the callosities parallel : wings stipitate, oblong, 

 auriculated : keel dipetalous. Stamens monadelphous, 

 or with the 10th subadherent. Legume compressed, 

 3-keeled along the back, furnished with a cellulose 

 membrane among the seeds : seeds ovali-oblong ; 

 hilum linear. 



Herbaceous or sufi^ruticose ; branches twining ; leaves pin- 

 nato-3-foliate ; racemes axillary, or opposite to a leaf, many- 

 flowered ; pedicels 3-nate. Flowers large, purpurascent. I 

 have been obliged to modify tbe generic character as regards 

 tbe calyx, in order to admit into the genus Canavalia altis- 

 siMA. Canavali is the Indian name of C. ensiformis. 



