Desmodium. LEGUMINOSiE. 3G3 



15. D. sessili folium : sl'em erect, ratlier stout, tomentosc-pubescent ; leaves 

 sessile ; leaflets linear or linear-obloriir, rather eoriaceous, obtuse at each end, 

 reticulated, scabrous above, tonieniose wilh a soft jiubescence beneath ; 

 stipules subulate, somewhat persistent ; racemes paniculate, much elongjitfd ; 

 pedicels very short ; bracts minute; upper lip of the calyx slii,dilly emargi- 

 nate ; the lower tooth a little longer than the triangular lateral ones; legumes 

 small, nearly sessile, of 2-3 somewhat semi-orbicular hispid joints. — Iledy- 

 sarum scssilifolium, Torr.! mss. S^'in Curtis, cat.pl. Wilmingt. excl. /?. 



Borders of woods and copses, Michigan ! Ohio ! Kentucky ! lUincjis ! Ark- 

 ansas ! & Texas! Aug. — Stem 2-3 feet high, striate, simple, or paniculate 

 at the sumjiiit. Leaflets 1^-2^ inches in length and 4-5 lines wide. Flowers 

 crowded on the long and simple branches of the panicle, small. Legumes 

 about half an inch long, the joints slightly convex on the back. — A very dis- 

 tinct species. 



16. D. tenuifolium : stem erect, slender, branching, scabrous-pubescent 

 above ; leaves on short petioles, the upper ones often sessile ; leaflets narrow- 

 ly linear, obtuse, coriaceous, reticulated, verj' glabrous above, sliglitly pubes- 

 cent beneatJi ; stijjules subulate, rather jjcrsistent ; panicles elongated, very 

 scabrous ; bracts ovate, acute, very small ; upper lip of the calyx slightly 

 emarginate, about the length of the nearly equal lower teeth; legumes not 

 stipitate, of 2-3 very small semi-oval or obliquely oval hispid joints. — Hedy- 

 samni scssilifolium 0. angustifolium, Torr. ! in Curtis, cat. Wilmington 

 plants, p. 123. 



In shady sandy places, Wilmington, North Carolina, Mr. Curtis ! Flori- 

 da, Dr. Chairman ! Alabama, Mr. Buckley ! Western Louisiana, Dr. 

 Hale ! Aug.-Sept. — Stem 2-3 feet high, wilh virgate branches. Lower 

 leaves 2-3 or even 4 inches long, and about 2 lines wide ; the upper ones 

 shorter. Flowers smaller than in any other N. American sjiecies. Joints 

 of the legumes less than two lines in length (slightly larger when a 

 single one ripens), convex on the back. — This species greatly resembles D. 

 strictuni, and is distinguished by no essential character, excepting the size 

 and fonn of the joints of the legume, which are only half as large : they are 

 similar to those of D. sessilifolium, but are still smaller. 



17. D. strictum (DC.) : stem erect, mostly simple, strict and slender, glabrous 

 or scabrous-puberulent ; leaves on distinct petioles ; leaflets narrowly linear, 

 elongated, rather obtuse, mucronulatc, coriaceous, reticulated, nearly gla- 

 brous; stipules subulate, rather persistent; panicle virgate, few-flowered; the 

 pedicels very slender; bracts lanceolate; upper lip of the calyx slightly 

 emarginate, the lower tooth longest ; legume somewhat stipitate, uncinate- 

 pubescent, 1-3-jointed ; the joints semi-obovate and slightly concave on the 

 back. — DC. prodr. 2. p. 329. Hedysarum strictum, Pursh ! fl. 2. p. 483 ; 

 Nutt. ! gen. 2. p. 109. H. paniculatum, Michx. ! fl. 2. p. 74. 



In pine woods and barrens. New Jersey ! to Florida ! Alabama ! and 

 Louisiana ! July-Sept. — Stem 2-4 feet high, straight, very slender, often 

 branching towards the summit ; the branches and racemes often very sca- 

 brous-pubescent. Leaves lJ-3 inches long, and only 2-3 lines wide, rigid. 

 Flowers small. Legume often ripening but a single rather large joint. — In 

 a specimen from Dr. Chapman, one of the stipelles is developed into a well- 

 formed leaflet. We have noticed the same thing in D. Canadense. 



18. D. paniculaturn (DC.) : stem erect, slender, and, with the petiolate 

 leaves, nearly glabrous ; leaflets membranaceous, oblong-lanceolate or some- 

 times linear-lanceolate, rather obtuse, the lower ones often oval-oblong ; 

 stipules subulate, deciduous ; racemes paniculate, the pedicels long and 

 slender ; bracts lanceolate, hairy ; upper lip of the calyx einarginate ; the 

 lower tooth much longest ; legume on a short stipe, straight, minutely 



