390 LEGUMINOS^. Cladrastis. 



Tampa Bay, Florida (/?.), Dr. Hulse ! Dr. Leavenivorth ! — We have no 

 specimens either of the West or East Indian jjlant; but those from Florida 

 agree so perfectly with Swartz' description of S. occidentalis, the truncate 

 calyx excepted, that we cannot think them specifically distinct. The calyx 

 is said by Swartz to be gibbous above, obtusely 5-toothed, the 3 lower teeth 

 longest. The young racemes and branches, in our plant, are velvety- 

 pubescent ; the former much elongated ; the flowers large and apparently 

 pale yellow ; the calyx with a narrowed base, at length separating from the 

 torus and remaining loose at the base of the legume ; which is silky when 

 young, but nearly glabrous when mattire, with 5 or 6 mostly approximate 

 nodes. 



§ 2. Calyx someivhat obconic: vexillum reflexed, entire: stamens not exserted: 

 nodes of the legume somewhat pidpy : seeds compressed, strojMolatc : ra- 

 dicle injiexed : stipules none. — Sttphnolobium, Schott. 



2. S. qffinis : arborescent, nearly glabrous ; racemes axillary', simple ; 

 leaflets 13-15, elliptical, mucronulate ; calyx very short, campanulate, ab- 

 ruptly attenuate at the base, obscurely 5-toothed ; ovary \'illou3 ; legumes 

 somewhat pubescent. 



Prairies of Arkansas, on Red River, &c. Dr. Leavenivorth. ! Texas, Drum- 

 mond! May. — A shrub or tree, about 25 feet high, allied to Sopliora 

 Japonica, but a very distinct species ; the calyx being more like that of a 

 proper Sophora, the leaflets smaller and nearly the same color both sides, 

 the racemes lateral, &c. Legumes with 4-5, or by abortion 1-2 subglobose 

 at length somewhat pulpy (sweetish) nodes. Seeds oval, somewhat com- 

 pressed, scarcely strophiolate. Radicle incurved. 



§ 3. Calyx campanulate, obtuse at the base : vexillum spreading or reflexed, 

 entire or emarginate: stamens not exserted, often a little united at the 

 base : legume dry : seeds estrophiolate : radicle inflexed : stipides subu- 

 late : stems herbaceous. — Pseudosophora, DC. ; Benth. 



3. S. sericea (Nutt.) : herbaceous, low, silky-canescent ; stems decum- 

 bent or ascending, branching from the base ; leaflets very small, about 21, 

 elliptical or cuneate-oval, glabrous above ; raceme terminal, short, sub- 

 sessile ; calyx gibbous posteriorly, longer than the pedicels, 5-toothed, the 

 teeth short; stamens slightly diadelphous (9 and 1) at the base; vexillum 

 reflexed ; petals of the keel nearly distinct, acuminate-mucronate. — Nutt. ! 

 gen. 1. p. 280; DC. I. c. ; Torr.! in ann. lye. New York, 2. p. 174. Pa- 

 trinia sericea, Haf. Astragalus camosus, Pursh (except the fruit), ex Nutt. 



High plains of the Missouri and the Platte, Bradbury, Nuttall! Dr. 

 James! extending nearly to the Rocky Mountains according to Nuttall. — 

 Plant 6-8 inches high. Leaves crowded : leaflets about 2 lines long, 

 Raceme or spike not exserted beyond the leaves, 2-4 inches long, crowded. 

 Flowers nearly as large as in S. alopecuroides, white. Ovary canescent. 

 Fruit unknown. — This interesting plant is well described by Nuttall, and 

 considered to be related to S. alopecuroides of Asia. In our specimens of 

 the latter w^e find the filaments somewhat connate at the base (certainly not 

 so manifestly united as in the present species), although botli Ledebour and 

 Bentham state that they are wholly distinct. 



52. CLADRASTIS. Raf neog. (1825.) 



Calyx cylindrical-campanulate, somewhat obliquely obconic at the base, 

 5-toothed at the apex ; the teeth nearly equal, very short and obtuse. Petals 



