Carpopogon. diadelphta decandria. 285 



Stem herbaceous, twining", branchy, running' to an extent 

 often or twelve ("eel, if supported; youncf shoots slightly 

 downy. Leaves ternate. Leaflets equal in size, the exterior 

 ones ovate, about three inches long, and two broad, the late- 

 ral ones obliquely cordate, all are entire and obtuse, above 

 smooth, a little downy underneath. Stipules of the petioles 

 broad lanceolate, of the leaflets subulate. Peduncles axill- 

 ary, short, many-flowered. Bractes, flowers, stamens, and 

 pistil as in C. pruriens. Legumes cylindric, depending, a 

 little curved, about as thick as the fore finger, or thumb, and 

 about six inches long, covered with soft, velvet-like down, 

 when ripe wrinkled longitudinally. Seeds five or six, of the 

 size of a small garden l)ean, smooth, shining*, black. 



The young pods like those of Doliclios lignosus and lab- 

 lab are used by the natives in their curries, after rubbing oft' 

 the down that covers them. 



4. C. niveum. Roxb. 



Annual, twining. /2«cemes pendulous. Legumes from six 

 to eight-seeded, while young downy ; when old destitute of 

 down, and wrinkled. 



Beng. Khamach. 



Like Carpopogon capitatum, I have only found this in a 

 cultivated state and even then very uncommon, having seen 

 it but in one or two gardens near Calcutta ; however, if it is 

 not indigenous in Bengal, it must have been long known to 

 the natives, not only on account of their having a vernacular 

 name for it, but because it is eaten by them, as a Hindoo re- 

 quires a long and intimate acquaintance with any article be- 

 fore he makes it a part of his diet. Potatoes they must have 

 known fifty years or more, before they began to admit them 

 at their tables. 



Be that as it may, the plant is cultivated during the cold 

 season, when it blossoms and produces fruit in great abun- 

 dance. 



Root ramous, generally annual, though in some soils it lasts 



