382 LEGUMINOSiE. Lupisus. 



natcly disposed in a very long dense spike ; bracts nearly as long as the calyx, 

 deciduous ; calyx bracteolate, the upper lip 2-cleft, tlie lower denticulate or 

 entire ; legumes oblong, flattish, very densely woolly, 4-5-seeded. — IVilld. ! 

 spec. 3. p.l029 ; Pursh.'fl. 2. jj. 4fi8, i. 21 ; NuU. ! gen. 2. p. 93 ; Ell. ! sk. 

 2. p. 191 ; DC. ! jjrodr. 2. p. 410 ; Agardh ! I. c. p. 41. L. pilosus, 

 Walt. ! Car. p. 180 ; Miclix. ! fl. 2. p. 56, not of Linn. L. integrifolius, 

 Desrouss. in Lam. diet, not of Linn. 



fi. diffusus: stems more decumbent and diffuse; leaves shorter, oval, or 

 somewhat oblong-obovate, and, with the petioles and stems, densely sericeous 

 but scarcely tomentose ; bracts (especially the uppermost) much shorter than 

 the calyx. — L. diffusus, Nutt. ! gen. I. c. Sfmss. ; Ell. I. c. 



In sandy barrens, N. Carolina ! to Florida ! common. March-April. — 

 Stems leafy towards the base, short. Leaflet (articulated with the petiole) 

 3-5 inches long (in /?. 2-3 inches) obtuse or a little attenuate at the base, about 

 the length of the petioles, and, with the stiirales and stems, very densely silky- 

 villous when young ; when old, losing a portion of the long hairs. Stipules 

 adnate at the base ; the free portion often an inch or more in length. Flowers 

 large, on very short pedicels, in a crowded pedunculate spike 6-12 inches in 

 length. Lips of the very silky calyx rather shorter than the corolla. Le- 

 gume an inch or more in length, veiy thickly clothed with long woolly hairs, 

 tipped with the persistent style. Seeds small, roundish, mottled. — Although 

 Mr. Nuttall, who has had the opportunity of examining the two plants in a 

 li\dng state, still considers his L. diffusus a distinct species, yet our numerous 

 specimens exhibit a manifest gradation from the L. diffusus, Nutt. to the largest 

 and most lanuginous states of L. villosus. The corolla is stated by Nuttall 

 to be " reddish purple, and variegated, with a dark spot or cloud in the cen- 

 tre of the vexillum" in L. villosus ; and "blue with a paler greenish spot on 

 the vexillum" in L. diffusus. Tlie bracts in the former are subulate-filiform 

 from a broad base, very woolly, and rather longer than the flower-buds ; in 

 the latter the lowermost are nearly similar, but those at the summit of the 

 spike are much shorter and only mucronate. 



Tribe VIIL SOPHORE^. DC. 



SophoreiE & Podalyriese, Benth. 



Corolla papilionaceous. Stamens 10, distinct : anthers uniform. 

 Legume continuous, or frequently moniliform, but not jointed. Em- 

 bryo incurved or inflexed, or often straight. — Leaves unequally pin- 

 nate, palmate, or simple, not stipellate. 



Mr. Bentham has established the Tribe Podalyrieae, to include those SophoreaB 

 of De Candolle that have simple or palmately compound leaves, the radicle in- 

 curved or inflexed, and the legumes dehiscent ; restricting the former tribe to 

 those with unequally pinnate leaves, mostly straiglit embryo, and indehiscent 

 legumes. The distinction is doubtless just ; but, since of our three genera of 

 true Sophorea;, the first two (viz : Sophora and Cladrastis) have the radicle 

 curved or bent, the second and third (Cladrastis and Cercis) have dehiscent 

 legumes, and the latter has simple leaves, we think it better not to make the 

 division in the present work. The true Sophoraffi are mostly trees or shrubs, 

 and the Podalyrieae almost wholly herbaceous plants. 



1. Leaves palmately S.foliololate or simple : radicle incui-ved or in- 

 flexed : mostly herbs. (Podalyrieae, Benth.) 



