332 LEGUMINOSyE. Astragalus. 



Stems 6-12 inches long. Flowers violet-purple. Fruiting racemes prostrate. 

 Legume the size of an ordinarj plum. Null. — We have never received speci- 

 mens of this plant. 



14. A. Plaltensis (Nutt. ! mss.) : " stems numerous, nearly prostrate, hirsute 

 ■with whitish spreading hairs; stipules bioadly ovate, acute; Icailcts 8-12 

 pairs, elliptical or oblong; peduncles shorter than the leaves ; racemes short; 

 bracts about twice as long as the pedicels; calyx pilose with daikish hairs, 

 oblong; legume thick and fleshy, broadly ovate, acuminate, somewhat com- 

 pressed, pilose." — A. caryocarpus, Torr ! in ann. lye. Neio- York, 2. p. 179. 



•Plains of the Platte, NuttaU ! Dr. James ! May. — Stems 6-10 inches long. 

 Leaflets mostly obtuse, on the lowest leaves obovate. Racemes 6-10 flow- 

 ered : flowers pale purple, larger than in the preceding species. Teeth of 

 the calyx nearly half the length of the tube. Fruit the size of a small plum. 



15. A. tricJwcaly.T (Nutt.! mss.): stems numerous, decumbent, some- 

 what pilose with appresscd hairs ; stipules lanceolate ; leaflets 10-10 pairs, 

 elliptical-oblong, obtuse ; peduncles about the length of the leaves ; racemes 

 short and crowded ; bracts a little longer than the pedicels; calyx densely 

 villous with mostly whitish hairs ; the leeth subulate, scarcely halt the length 

 of the tube ; legume thick and somewhat fleshy, glabrous,' finely wrinkled 

 transversely." 



Plains of x^rkansas, Nuliall ! & Dr. Learemcorih! who also found it in 

 Texas I — Closely aUied to A. caryocarpus, from which it differs, according to 

 NuttaU. in its more nunierous leaflets, paler flowers, and densely villous ca- 

 lyx. This and the two preceding species are remarkable for their succulent 

 legumes, which are filled with a sweetish and rather agreeable juice, so that, 

 as Mr. NuttaU informs us, they were frequently collected by the party with 

 which he travelled, as an article of food. 



t 1 1 Legumes curved. 



16. A. pachycarpus : procumbent, diffuse, canescently hirsute with ap- 



firessed hairs ; stipules ovate, acuminate; leaflets 8-16 pairs, elliptical and ob- 

 ong-obovate ; peeiuncles much shorter than the leaves ; (spikes few-flower- 

 ed?) bracts lanceolate, scarcely long as as the short pedicels; legumes ovate, 

 coriaceous, very turgid and dilated laterally, somewhat curved, with a short 

 beak, inflexed at each suture, 2-celled, slightly Avrinkled tran- versely. 



Prairies of Arkansas, Dr. Leavemcorth .' — Stems 6-10 inches long, 

 branched. Leaflets half an inch long, obtuse, or rather acute. Flowers not 

 seen. Legume an inch long and half an inch broad, rounded at the base, 

 iVith a deep furrow at each suture : cells 4-5 seeded. — Resembles A. caryo- 

 carpus in habit and foliage, but the fruit is entirely distinct. 



17. A. succumbpj-^ (Dougl.) : every part hirsute ; stem procumbent, flex- 

 uous, branched ; stipules small, oblong, acuminate ; leaflets 5 pairs, obovate ; 

 peduncles shorter than the leaves; racemes capitate, oval; flowers (rather 

 large) spreading, loose; bracts linear-subulate, longer than the very short pe- 

 dicels ; calyx loosely hirsute; legumes linear-lanceolate, falcate, glabrous and 

 shining, bicarinate, 2-celled, many-seeded. Eoolc.fl. Bor.-Am. 1. p. 151. 



Barren grounds of the Oregon and near the tYallawallah, Douglas. — 

 Flowers large, purple and white. Legumes about tAvo inches long, carinate 

 on one side, Avith a deep furrow on the other, so that a transverse section 

 represents the letter V. Hook. 



18. -4. obcordatus (Fill.) : nearly glabrous, procumbent or assurgent ; leaf- 

 lets 7-12 pairs, ohcordate, or obovate-oblong ; peduncles abeiut as long as the 

 leaves; spikes S-15-flowercd, ovate or roundi-h, rather loose; calyx hairy; 

 the teeth subulate, about as long as the tube ; legumes oblong, triangular, a 



