DIADELPHIA— DECANDRTA. Orobus. 271 



sharp ascending point, of 1 cell, and 2 rigid, twisting 

 valves. Seeds several, roundish. 

 Perennial, generally upright herbs, not always smooth. 

 Roots creeping, in some tuberous. Leaves pinnate, or 

 conjugate, without tendrils. Stijmlas oblong. Fl. nu- 

 merous, handsome, racemose, variously coloured. Seeds 

 not eatable. 



1. O. tuherosus. Common Bitter-vetch. Heath Pea. 



Leaves pinnate, elliptic-lanceolate. Stipulas half-arrow- 

 shaped ; toothed at the base. Stem simple, erect. 



O. tuberosus. Linn.Sp. PL 1028. Willd.v.3. 1074. Fi. Br. 76]. 



Engl. Bot. V. \7.t.l 153. Curt. Lond.fasc. 1 . t. 53. Hook. Scot. 



213. 

 O. n. 417. Hall. Hist. v. 1. 181. 

 O. sylvaticiis, foliis oblongis glabris. Rail Stjn. 324. 

 O. radice tuberosa. Riv. Telrap. Irr. t. 59. 

 Lathyrus angustifolius, radice tuberosa. Loes. Pruss. 138. <. 37. 

 Astragalus .sylvaticus. Ger. Em. 1237./. Sibb. Scot. p.2.\\.t.l. 



Thai. Harcyn. 7 . t. 1. 

 /3, Orobus tenuifolius. Roth Germ. v. 1. 305. Hoff'm. Germ, for 



1791. 253. D. Don in Tr. of Wern. Soc. v. 3. 301 . 



In rather mountainous pastures, thickets, and woods. 



Perennial. May, June. 



Root creeping, externally blackish, swelling here and there into 

 oblong knobs. Herb smooth, darkish green. Stems simple, 

 erect, a foot high, compressed and winged, leafy. Leaves al- 

 ternate, each of 2, 2^, or 3 pair of lanceolate, somewhat ellip- 

 tical, ribbed, entire, bluntish or acute, leaflets, their common 

 footstalk projecting a little beyond them, but not bearing a ten- 

 dril. Stipulas strongly toothed and extended at the base, va- 

 rious in width. Fl. in loose, long-stalked, axillary clusters, ele- 

 gantly variegated and veined, with purple, crimson, and shades 

 of blue and flesh-colour. Legumes pendulous, long, cylindrical, 

 black when ripe. 



The roots have a sweetish taste, and afford some luxuries and re- 

 freshments to the hardy independent Highlander. There is con- 

 siderable elegance in the powers, and in the plant altogether. 

 /3, an obvious variety, found in various parts of England as well 

 as in Scotland, difl'ers in having narrow linear leciflets. 



2. O. niger. Black Bitter- vetch. 



Leaves pinnate, of from four to six pair of elliptic-lanceo- 

 late leaflets. Stipulas linear-awl-shaped, simple, entire. 

 Stem branched, angular, erect. 



