102 DIADELPHIA. BECANDRTA. 



summit Into numerous slender spreading- branches, eack 

 terminated by a raceme of white flowers. Leaves snr.al!, 

 extremely decidiiuus in dryinc, smooth, and thickly 

 sprinkled wiin resinous diaphanous glands. Calix consi- 

 derably like th^i oi' Petnlostemon corymbos2im, the segments 

 linear and acuminate, nearly twice the lengtli of the other 

 bractes. Stamina 9. Carina twice the length of the petals. 

 Seed solitary, legume shorter than tlie calix; seeds yel- 

 low, reniform. — On being bruised the leaves and bractes 

 give out a very penetrating and disagreeable balsamic 

 odor much like tiiat of the Diosmas and of Rue {Rata 

 graveole?is.) 



A north American genus, of which there are 10 other 

 species chiefly indigenous to Mexico. 



502. PSORALEA. L, 



Calix 5-cleftor 5-toothc(], the lower segment 

 mostly elongated. Stamina diadelplioiis. Le- 

 gume tlie length of the calix, 1 -seeded, subros- 

 irate and valveless. 



Shrubby or herbaceous; leaves glandularlj punctate, 

 ternale, rarely digitate, simple or pinnate; stipules cauline; 

 Howers spiked or glomerate, axillary or terminal. 



S?ECiES. 1. P. canesceyis. 2. cuspidata. Ph. On the 

 banks of the NJissouri. Koot large, tuberous-', and ramified. 



3. *escule7ita. T. N. in Fras. Catal 1813. Ph. 2. p. 475. 

 "Nearly stemless and hirsuteiy pilose; leaves digitate qui- 

 nate; leaflets ovate-elliptic, smooth above; spikes pedun- 

 culate, subcapitate; corolla scarcely longer than the calix; 

 bractes 3-flowered, ovate, acuminate, impunctate; root 

 simple, somewhat fusiform, bulbous above the middle. 

 11 AB. On the elevated plains of the Missouri; also on tlie 

 high and bare hiils of the lead-mines near the river Meri- 

 mek, a few miles from St. Louis. The root is similar in 

 lorm to that of P. canescens. Taste rather insipid, but not 

 Jisagreeable either raw or boiled, the latter is its commou 

 mode of preparation among the savages; its texture is 

 I.iniinatcd, always tenaceous, solid, and never farinaceous; 

 it is also somewhat mediciisal and operates as a diuretici 

 Nearly allied to P. cimpidatay but very distinct in the root. 

 It is known to tlie Canadian boatmen by the. naine of 

 *' Pomme dc prairie." 



4. * incana. T. N. in Fras. Catal. 1813. Sericeously vil- 

 l(;us and canescent; leaves digitate, quinaie, uppermost 

 ternute, leaflets elliptic-lanceolate; spikes few-flowered, 

 interrupted; bractes acuminate, 3-flowered; root flagel- 

 iutc!)^- fusiform. H Aii. On the open plains of the Missouri 



