286 LEGUMINOSJi:. Pitcheria. 



longest ; the upper one bifid at the apex. Corolla deciduous : vexillum (gla- 

 brous) obovate or nearly orbicular, without callosities, the margins of the 

 short spurs and of the claw folded in : wings smaller than the keel-petals, 

 narrowly oblong, somewhat falcate, with a subulate tooth at the base nearly 

 the length of claw : the keel conspicuous, rounded, a little falcate, rather shorter 

 than the veKillum. Stamens diadelphous ; the free filament articulated at 

 the base. Ovary semi-oval, compressed, hairy, 2-ovuled : style filiform, the 

 lower portion hairy, the upper half indurated : stigma small, subcapitate, 

 glabrous. Legume oblong, tapering at the base, sessile, several times longer 

 than the calyx, compressed, 1-2-seeded. Seeds roundish, somewhat carun- 

 culate. — Erect and rigid perennial herbs, with numerous slender and simple 

 branches. Leaves small, pinnately trifoliolate, on very short petioles : leaflets 

 elliptical or oval, the lower surface copiously dotted with resinous atoms. 

 Stipules minute, setaceous, deciduous. Flowers solitary or nearly so in the 

 axils of the upper leaves, rather large, "yellow, the vexillum marked with 

 numerous red lines" {Chapman, in lilt.), on short pedicels. 



The genus Pitcheria is very nearly allied to Rhyncbosia, rather than to Galactia, 

 as will be seen from the detailed cliaracter given above. Indeed, supposing that 

 genus to comprise the subgenera indicated by Arnolt, we find it nearly impossible 

 to distinguish Pitcheria by any absolute character. Our plant should also be com- 

 pared with several species of De Candolle's section (or genus) Eviosema, from 

 Mexico and Central America, with which it appears to agree in habit, &c. The 

 genus is dedicated to Dr. Z. Pitcher, late of the United States Army, whose name 

 so frequently appears as a contributor on the pages of this work. 



P. galactoides (Nutt. 1. c.) 



a. petioles shorter than the lateral leaflets ; peduncles 1-3-flowered. 



p. 7 parvifolia : leaves much smaller, subsessile ; peduncles ]-flowered. 



In dry soil, Alabama, Dr. Gates ! Middle Florida, Dr. Chapman ! 

 ]V[ay._^Stem about 3 feet high, virgately branched ; the branches angled, 

 and (as well as the calyx and veins of the leaves) minutely pubescent. 

 Leaves very numerous, sprinkled beneath with rather conspicuous yellow 

 dots : petioles 4-5 lines long: leaflets h-'x of an inch in length (in p. smaller), 

 usually rather obovate-oval, glabrous and someAvhat reticulately veined above ; 

 the terininal one a little distant from the others ; the lateral ones smaller, 

 almost sessile. Flowers solitary or in pairs, on pedicels rather shorter than 

 lire calyx, rising from the axils of the leaves, or in a short 2-3-flowered ra- 

 ceme. Flowers 5-6 lines long: vexillum partly folded round the other petals : 

 keel-petals slightly connected, very broad. Mature legumes nearly an inch 

 long, and \ of an inch wide, pointed with the base of the style, straight 

 Seeds mottled.— -The specimens of our var. /?., which perhaps belong to a 

 distinct species, were sent from Alabama by Dr. Gates, and are not very 

 complete. The leaflets (of the rameal leaves) are only 3 or 4 lines long, and 

 the petioles being short in proportion, the leaves appear to be nearly sessile. — 

 The flowers are stated by Nuttall to be red, and they appear reddish in dried 

 apecimens. 



Subtribe 3. Glycineje, Benth.— Ovary with several ovules. Inflores- 

 cence racemose, with the pedicels often more or less aggregated on small 

 alternate knobs. Bracteoles very small, often deciduous. Vexillum usually 

 biappendiculate. Style not indurated. Cotyledons flat, foliaceous in germi- 

 nation. — Flowers small. 



