304 DIADELPHIA DECANDRIA. DoUcllOS. 



soil, and season. Leaves ternate. Leaflets between deltoid- 

 parabolic, and hastate, angidar behind, rather obtuse ; smooth 

 on both sides, from t>vo to three inches long. Petioles \\Giix\y 

 as long- as the leaflets, deeply channelled. Stipules of the 

 petioles adnate, ovate, acute at both ends ; those of the leaflets 

 roundish. Pedimcks axillary, solitary, from two to eight or 

 twelve inches long, bearing a few, large, bluish flowers on a 

 short, glandular head. Calyx campanulate. S'e^mew/s subu- 

 late. Banner large, nearly round, of a pale blue on the in- 

 side, and greenish yellow on the back. Callosities keeled, 

 and yellowish. Wings blue, semilunar. Keel nearly white. 

 Filaments beyond their tube long, fine and inclined to twist. 

 Anthers minute. Slijle, the exterior half much bearded on 

 the inside. Legumes nearly straight, erect, cylindric, smooth, 

 as thick as a large quill ; apex more or less recurved and 

 concave behind. Seeds from six to twelve, sub-cylindric, 

 ends truncated, smooth, colour and size varying in the differ- 

 ent varieties. 



With Dr. Konig, I was long inclined to consider this a 

 variety of D. Sinensis and as such transmitted to the Honour- 

 ble the Court of Directors a short description of the plant, 

 without any drawing; but more experience induces me to 

 consider them distinct on account of the shape of the leaves, 

 independent of the great difference in their size. This is the 

 description of the variety most generally cultivated on the 

 Coromandel coast. 



A rich friable soil suits these plants best. On the Peninsula 

 the seed is sown in October, immediately after the rains, and 

 the crop gathered in February ; it produces in a good soil, 

 about forty fold. The grains, or pulse is low priced, gene- 

 rally eaten by the poorer classes, and the straw is given to the 

 cattle. 



The variety with smaller black seeds which is more slen- 

 der, and the leaves narrower, is considered by Dr. Klien of 

 Tranquebar a distinct species, the seed of which he sent me 

 under the name Dolichos capitatus. 



