286 DIADELPHIA DECANDRIA. CarpopoyOil. 



longer. Stem twining to an extent of some fathoms, very 

 ramous and thick, but of a spongy, succulent nature ; young 

 shoots a little villous;. Leaves ternate. Leaflets entire, the 

 pair nearly semi-cordate, the terminal one rhomboidal ; all 

 have short acute points, and are nearly equal in size, of a soft 

 delicate texture, and slightly villous on both sides ; from four 

 to ten inches long. Petioles round, slightly villous, from six 

 to twelve inches long. Stipules lanceolate. Racemes axillary, 

 solitary, pendulous, often as long, or even longer than the 

 leaves, bearing numerous, three-fold, pendulous, very large, 

 white flowers. Bractcs four-fold, a common one to each tu- 

 bercle of tiie racemes, on which the three flowers are insert- 

 ed, and one to each of the proper pedicels, all are caducous, 

 nearly lanceolate, and villous. Calyx four-parted. The 

 upper division broad, and emarginate; the lower one narrow- 

 est, and more lengthened than the lateral pair. Coral papi- 

 lionaceous. Banner cordate, incumbent on the wings and 

 keel, and about halt their length. Wings oblong, with a re- 

 markable callous gland near the base of each. Keel one-pe- 

 talled, linear, length of the wings, with a sharp, rigid, incurv- 

 ed point. JSTcctary a crenulate gland round the insertion of 

 the germ. Filaments one and nine, alternately clavate and 

 filiform, with long linear, sub-sagittate, anthers on the slender 

 filaments, and short-ovate ones on the clavate ones. Germ 

 hairy. Style slender and villous. Stigma small. Legume 

 linear, about six inches long, curved a little like an Italic S. 

 when ripe black, destitute of down, and longitudinally wrin- 

 kled. Seeds generally from six to eight, oval, smooth, ash- 

 coloured, and separated by thin partitions. 



By removing the exterior velvet-like skin of the large, 

 fleshy, tender legumes, they are when dressed, like French 

 beans (^Phaseolusvulgaris,) a most excellent vegetable for our 

 tables, and the full grown beans are scarcely inferior to the 

 large garden beans of Europe. 



