leguminos;e, 110 lathyrus. 



Properties. No family of the vegetable kino:doni possesses a higher claim to the attention 

 of the naturalist tliau the LesjuminosaRj whether we regard them as ohjecis of ornament or 

 utility. Of the former we miglit mention the splendid varieties of Cercis, with their purple 

 flowers, the Acacias, with their airy foliage and silky stamens, the pride of India, Collulea 

 and Caesalpiua, with a host of.olhers, wiiich, like the Sweet Pea, are redolent willi per- 

 fume. Of the latter, the Beans, Peas, Lentils, Clover and Lucerne, are too well known to 

 require particular conmieudation. Among timber trees the Rosewood (a Brazilian species 

 of Mimosa), the Laburnum, whose wood is durable and of an olive-green color, and the 

 Locust (Robinia) of our own country, are pre-eminent. 



The following are a few of tlie important officinal products of this order. In medicine : 

 liquorice is the product of the root of Glycyrrhiza glabra of S. Europe. The purgative senna 

 consists o( tlic leaves of Cassia semia, C. aeutifolia, C, iEthiopiea and oilirr species of 

 Egypt and Arabia. C. Marylandica is also acatliartic, but more mild than llie iumier. The 

 sweet pulp tamarind, is the product of a large and beautiful tree (Tamarindus Indica) of 

 the E. aiui W. Indies. Resins and balsams : Gwm Senegal is yielded by Acacia Verek of 

 the river Senegal ; Gum Arabic, by several species of Acacia of central Africa; Chim Tra- 

 gacynth, by Astragalus verus. &c. of Persia. Baham Copaiva is the product of several spe- 

 cies of Copaifera, natives of Brazil and AV. India ; Balsam Tolu of Myospennum toluife- 

 rum, of Peru, and balsam Peru of AI. peruiferum of the same country. Dyes, &c. Indigo, 

 the most valuable of all, (but a violent poison,) is the product of several southern species of 

 Indigolera, as I. anil of the W. Indies, and I. argentea of Egypt. Brazil-wood, from Caes- 

 alpiua Braziiieusis. Log-icood from Haematoxylon Campeachianum, of Campeachy, and 

 Red-saiidal-wood Irom Plerocarpus santalinus of Egypt, &.e. &.c. 



Conifpcctus of the Genera. 



* Corolla papilionaceous. 



( Calyx 5-tootlied, Melilotus. 6 



(1 — 2-seeded; I Calyx 4-toothed, Anipliicarpaa. 7 



Legumes 'j many-seeded ; calyx 5-toothed, Pluvteolus. 5 



i( l-.jointed,.l-seeded; diadelphous, Lespedeza. 8 



\ 2-jointed, 1-seeded ; monadel. Htylosantites. 12 



pinnately ; 1 Lonient (many-jointed, . . . Desniodiitm. 11 



( I/cgume falcate or spiral, Medirago. i) 



I Legu. short, few-seeded, Trifuliuin. 1(1 

 ( Sta. diadelphous; ( Legu. square, 4-winged, Tciragonolobus.VS 



palmately; ( Stamens distinct, equal, . . . Baptisia. 17 



( outside, . Lnt/iijrus. 1 



( and produced ( Style villous | inside, . Vicia, Pisum. 2, '-i 



\ into tendrils ; ) Style glabrous, . . Ervum. 4 



(■ abruptly, ( not cirrhose; .^tam. monadelphous; leaflets 4, Arachis. 16 



I linear, many-seeded. iV/j/ifo.vi'rt. 14 



( Leg. flat ( oblong, 1 — 4-seeded, Glycyrrhiza. 15 



Leafl. ] ( 1-celled, grooved, P/ioca. 18 



9—3:1 ; ( Leg. turgid ) sub-2-celled, Astragalus. 19 



] ( Herbs; ( Leaflets 5 — 7 ; stem twining, - . Apios. 21 



I 1 inflated, , . CoUutea. 22 



i ( Legume \ terete, arcuate, . Indigo/era. 20 



uneq- | Slirubs unarmed ; j Loment jointed, . . Coronilla. 24 



pinnate [ ually ;[ Trees, &c. armed with spiny stipules, . . Robinia. 23 



I Herbs ; stamens 10, monadelphous, .... Crotularia. 2.5 



J ( Calyx 2-leaved, with two bracteoles, . . Vlex. 2(i 



"] Shrubs ;( Calyx 2-lipped, 5-toothed, . . . Genista. 27 



simple. I. Trees ; stamens di.stinct ; legume flat, .... Cercis. 23 



** Corolla not papilionaceous. 



( Loment lor more joint. Mi)nosa. 32 



( Fls. polygamous ; i Legume not jointed, Acaeia. 33 



( Shrubs; I Flowers perfect ; stamens 10, . . . (hesalpina. 31 



V I 1 unarmed, Gymnocladus. 34 



g fbipinnate, &c. ( Trees, (spiny, Gleditschia. 35 



g ] palmately .5 — 15-lbliate ; stamens monadelphous. Herbs. . . I.upinus. 29 



,j ( unequally pinnate, without tendrils ; sta. 10 distinct. Herbs. . Cassia. 30 



Tribe 1, PAPILIONACEiE. 



Corolla papilionacenns, rnreJy somcirliat regular, imbriciite or verillanj in 

 asfivdtion. Stamens 10, dludelplwus, rarely monaddplwus or distinct, inserted 

 ■with the petals into the base cj the calij.c. 



