leguminos.t:. 319 



small, 5-ficl ; divisions acute, not ciliated. Corolla thrice the 

 length of the calyx ; divisions oblong, subacute. Stamens very 

 numerous, monadelphous for a short distance at the base, an 

 inch in length, capillary, white: anthers roundish. Ovary ob- 

 long, greenish, smooth : style length of the stamens. Legume 

 linear, compressed, with the edges incrassated, 9-10-seeded, 

 tumid at the situation of the seeds, about 21 inches long : 

 valves dry, when the pod is ripe revolute from the apex to the 

 base : seeds oblongo-oval, compressed. 



This plant has been confounded with Mimosa comosa of 

 Swartz. It is very ditferent, however, from that plant. I have 

 given the specific designation of Vespertma to this species, from 

 the circumstance that the flowers are at evening in their greatest 

 perfection. Their long white filaments, Avhich, during the heat 

 of the day, hung down and were matted like tresses of hair, be- 

 come erect, giving a singular starry appearance to the plant, 

 and a slight but grateful fragrance is diffused. 



13. Acacia villosa. T^illous Acacia, 

 Unarmed villous, piiinte 6-paired, leaflets 10-16- 

 paired oblong or ovate pubescent, petioles eglandu- 

 lose, heads of flowers peduncled in threes axillary 

 arranged to form a subterminal panicle. 



Mimosa villosa, Swartz, Fl. Ind. Occ. 982. — Acacia villosa, 

 Willd. IV. 1067.— Z)e Cand. Prod. II. 468. 



HAB. Common, low hills on the South side of the Island. 



FL. Throughout the year. 



A shrubby tree, 6-8 feet in height ; branches sub-terete, of 

 a brown colour, anguloso-striated, villous (approaching to hir- 

 sute.) Pinnae 6- (rarely 5- or 7-) paired, about 3 inches long : 

 leaflets 10-15-paired, scarcely petiolulated, oblong (the inner 

 ones the smallest and of an ovate shape), somewhat unequila- 

 teral at the base, subacute, pubescent : common petiole sub-3- 

 gonal slightly channelled above, villous, eglandulose ; partial 

 petioles sub-3-gonal, villous, with a pair of minute ovate scale- 

 like stipels near their base. Stipules lanceolate, keeled on the 

 back, villous, ciliated, deciduous. Peduncle subterete, villous, 

 3 together in the axillae of the subterminal leaves, (forming at 

 the end of the branches a kind of panicle), each bearing a some- 

 what oblong head of about 13 white shortly pedicelled flowers. 

 A small oblong solitary deciduous bractea situated on one side 

 of the peduncle a little below the head. Calyx urceolate, mi- 

 nutely 5-toothed. Petals 5, united to form a 5-partite corolla : 

 divisions lineari-oblong, subacute, 3 times longer than the calyx. 

 Stamens very numerous, 3 times the length of the corolla, de- 

 licately capillary : anthers minute, yellow. Ovary stipitate, 

 linear, compressed, glabrous : style rather thicker than the 

 filaments. Legume short, plane, hairy. 



