113 



folium and the Mikania amara. We here also observed 

 an exotic, now abundant everywhere, the Abrus preca- 

 torius, or Wild Liquorice, a native of Asia, displaying plenti- 

 fully its flesh-coloured spikes, and its showy scarlet seeds ; 

 which are commonly known by the name of CraUs eyes. 

 I had now, for the first time, an opportunity of observing 

 a very beautiful, and, so far as I can ascertain, a new species 

 of Phaseolus, a description of which I subjoin.* The 

 DodoncBa jamaicensis, bearing its minute flowers and angular 

 capsules, is very common in this district. I stopped here, 

 beneath a lofty specimen of the Eriodendron anfractuosum, to 

 admire its brilliant rose-coloured flowers, and to compare it 

 with the other connnoner tree, {Bombax Ceiba,) which also 

 receives the appellation of Cotton-tree. At this season of the 

 year, the old leaves are shed, and the new ones do not make 

 their appearance till the ripening of the seed, as if this giant 



* Phaseolus ajicenus. — Twining ; branches sub-pubescent : leaves ovate, 

 siib-cordate, sub-acuminate, apiculated, above glabrous, beneath, along the nerves, 

 somewhat hairy ; calyx slightly ciliated, with the three lower lobes sub-equal, 

 the upper one emarginate. 



Descr. — Stem twining, green, sub-angular, slightly pubescent; leaves ternate; 

 leaflets ovate, the middle one at the base emarginate, the lateral cordate ; subacu- 

 minate, apiculated, entire, above glabrous, beneath (especially along the nerves) 

 somewhat hairy, sub-ciliate, dark green. General stipules small, oblongo-lanceo- 

 late, membranaceous. Partial stipules oval ; a pair at the insertion of the lateral 

 leaves; another pair a little below the middle leaf. Petiole sub-tetragonal, 

 channelled above, puberulous. Racemes 2-3-4-flowered ; flowers showy, fra- 

 grant, placed on short single-flowered pedicels, at the extremity of the common 

 peduncle. Peduncle shorter than the leaf, roundish. A bractea exists at the 

 insertion of each pedicel, minute, ovate, concave, green. Calt/x striated, ap- 

 pearing under the microscope ciliated, 2-lipped ; upper lip sub-emarginate ; 

 lower trifid, with the divisions nearly equal. Corolla: Standard roundish, sub- 

 emarginate, purplish. Winys broadly sickle-shaped, furnished internally with 

 a small, roundish, foliolar appendage, placed above the subulate prolongation 

 by which they are inserted. A'eel with a long spirally-twisted bcuk, adhering 

 above. Stamens diadelphous; the single stamen geniculated towards the base and 

 incrassated. Filaments delicately capillary. Anthers linear-oblong, yellow. 

 Germen greenish, puberulous ; Style bearded beneath the sliyma, which is greenish, 

 obtuse. Legume about 6 inches long, and one-third of an inch broad, com- 

 pressed, linear, straight, with a long beak. Seeds oval. 



Ft. Summer and Autumn months. 



VOL. 11. I 



