4/6 DIADELPHIA DECANDRIA. P30ralea. 



petiolata, digitato-quinata. Foiiola siibpetiolata, lanceo- 

 lata, mrinqne acuta, integerrima, plana, supra glabra, 

 punctis vix conspicuis confertissirae adspersa, subtus 

 pilosa, uncialia. Peiloli communes teretes, folio lon- 

 giores. Stipulce persistentes, ad basin petiolorum op- 

 positae, oblongo-lanceolatae, acutae. Spicce axillares, 

 pedunculatae, densifloree, bracteatae^ foliis longiores. 

 Bractecc lato-ovatae, acuminatae, calyce breviores. 

 F/ores sessiles, caerulei, magnitudine et figura Ficies 

 satwce. Calyv hirsutissimus, 5-lidus s. profunde 5- 

 dcntatus : dentibus lineari-lanceolatis : 2. lateralibus 

 subfalcatis : inferus latior. Corolla : Fexillum obo- 

 vatum, inferne utrinque glandula instructum, calyce 

 pauio longicre. yllce semi-ovatae, vexillo breviores. 

 Carina oblonga. Legumen calyce tectum, monosper- 

 raum, hirsutum, rostro ensiformi, glabro, calyce lon- 

 • giore instructum. Semen reniforme, nigrum. 

 It approaches very near to P. pentaphylla Willd. sp. 

 pi. 3. p. 1352. uhich is fully described and figured by 

 B. Jussieu in Jet. par. 1744. p. 381. /. I/. But not 

 only the botanical difference, but the medical use 

 made of tlie Mexican plant, proves their distinctness. 

 The present plant produces the famous Bread-root of 

 the American Western Indians, on which they partly 

 subsist in winter. They collect them in large quanti- 

 ties,, and. if for present use, they roast them in the ashes, 

 when they give a food similar to yams : if intended 

 for winter use, they are careiully dried, and preserved 

 in a dry place in their huts. When wanted for use, 

 they are mashed between two stones, mixed with some 

 water, and baked in cakes over the coals. It is a 

 u holesome and nourishing food, and, according to 

 Mr. Lewis's observation, agreeable to most constitu- 

 tions ; which, he observed, was not the case with the 

 rest of the roots collected by those Indians for food. 

 This root has been frequently found by travellers in 

 the canoes of the Indians, but the plant which pro- 

 *> duces it has not been known until lately. 



iLupinellus. 7- P- foliis quino-digitatis : foliolis angustissime linearibu's, 

 spica paucifiora, leguminibus ovoideis, uncinato-mu- 

 cronatis, nervoso-rugosis. — Mich.Jl. amer. 2. p. 58, 

 In barren fields of Carolina. 7/ , v.s. in Herb. Lyon. 

 Flowers very small. The leaves of the whole genus 

 are covered with resinous dots. 



