Ldthyrus.] LEGUMINOSjE. 83 



* * Flowers axillary, nearly sessile. 



3. V. sativa, Linn. Common Vetch. Flowers nearly sessile, 

 mostly in pairs ; leaflets elliptic-oblong, lower ones abrupt ; 

 stipules with a blackish depression beneath; seeds orbicular, 

 smooth. Br. Fl. 1. p. 323. E. Fl. v. iii. p. 281. E. Bot. t. 

 334. 



Cultivated grounds and corn fields, frequent. Fl. June. 0. — One 

 foot or more high. Leaflets variable in height and in number, from 

 two to six pairs or more on a petiole. Flowers large, purple, and blue 

 or red. Legumes more or less downy, erect. A valuable plant as 

 early fodder for horses and other cattle, and will bear cutting three or 

 four times throughout the season, if judiciously managed. 



4. V. angustifolia, Sibth. Narrow-leaved crimson Vetch. 

 Flowers mostly solitary, nearly sessile; leaflets linear, lowermost 

 ones inversely heart-shaped ; stipules toothed, with a pale de- 

 pression beneath ; seeds smooth. Br. Fl. \.p. 323. E.Fl.v. 

 Hi. p. 282. Hook, in E. Bot. Suppl. t. 2614. 



Sandy coast of Magilligan ; Mr. D. Moore. Fl. June. ©.— 

 Nearly allied to the last species. 



5. V. lathyroides, Linn. Spring Vetch. Flowers solitary, 

 nearly sessile; leaflets elliptic-oblong; lower ones inversely 

 heart-shaped ; tendrils simple, shorter than the leaflets ; seeds 

 cubic, warty. Br. FL 1. p. 323. E* Fl v. iii. p. 283. E. 

 Bot. t. 30. 



Sandy fields between Clontarf and Baldoyle, and in old gravel pits 

 in the Phoenix Park, and many other places, not uncommon. Fl. 

 April, May. ©. — Moot fibrous, beset with minute fleshy tubercles. 

 Stems several, procumbent in opposite directions, branched at the 

 bottom only, three or four inches long, angular, leafy, finely downy 

 like the rest of the herbage. Footstalks channelled, each ending in a 

 very short simple tendril or none at all. 



6. V. sepium, Linn. Bush Vetch. Flowers about four toge- 

 ther, in short axillary clusters ; legumes upright, smooth ; leaflets 

 ovate, obtuse; the upper ones gradually smaller. Br. Fl. 1. p. 

 324. E. Fl. v. iii. p. 286. E. Bot. t. 79. 



Woods and shady places, frequent. Fl. May, June. %. — Stems 

 about two feet high, angular, smooth, but little branched, supported 

 upon other plants by the branching tendrils of the leaves. Leaflets 

 numerous, ovate, obtuse, thin, hairy, gradually smaller towards the end 

 of each stalk. Stipules more or less ternate and toothed. Corolla 

 variegated with blue, purple, and greenish white, rarely pure white. 



14. Lathyrus. Linn. Vetchling and Everlasting Pea. 



Calyx campanulate, 5-cleft, the upper lobes the shortest. Sta- 

 mens diadelphous. Style flat, dilated at the end, villous or 

 pubescent in front. Pod oblong, many-seeded, 2-valved, 



