THE LEGUMEN. 281 



3 * Legumen, a Legume, is the peculiar soli- 

 tary fruit of the Pea kind, formed of two 

 oblong valves, without any longitudinal 

 partition, and bearing the seeds along one 

 of its margins only. See Engl. Bot. 

 t. 1046", 803, &c. The Tamarind is a 

 Legume filled with pulp, in which the 

 seeds are lodged. The Capsules of Helle- 

 bores and some other plants allied thereto, 

 justly indicated by Gaertner as approach- 

 ing very nearly to the definition of Le- 

 gumes, differ essentially in not being soli- 

 tary, and in consisting each but of one 

 valve. Some Larkspurs indeed bear such 

 capsules solitary, but analogy teaches us 

 their true nature. 



When a Legume is divided into several 

 cells, it is always by transverse constric- 

 tions, never by a separate longitudinal 

 partition ; see Dolichos purpureas, Exot. 

 Bot. t. 74. 



Sometimes this kind of fruit lodges but 

 one seed, as in many species of Tr'i folium ; 

 see Engl. Bot. 1. 1048, also Viminaria denu- 

 data, Exot. Bot. t. 27. It is only by analogy 

 that such are known to be Legumes. 



