Arnchis. diadelphia decandui a. 281 



that the essential generic character of two such widely dis- 

 tinct species, seldom agrees so well as in these tMo, (viz. 

 Arachis hi/pof/ea, Linn, and Strjlosantkes mucrojiata. Willd. 

 Root annual. Stems, or rather branches many, diftuse, 

 hairy, from two to four feet long. Leaves alternate, pinnate. 

 Leaflets two pair, oval and obovate, slightly hairy under- 

 neath. Petioles longer than the leaflets, with the base enlarg- 

 ed into a stem-clasping- sheath, with two ensiform processes. 

 Flowers axillary, two or three together, blossoming in suc- 

 cession. Bractes a common exterior pair to the fascicle, and 

 small proper ones to the several flowers ; all are membranace- 

 ous, tapering to a fine point, and ciliate. Cahfx with a very 

 long, filiform, slender tube ; months two-parted ; the npper 

 lip three-cleft, Mith the middle division emarginate; the low- 

 er lip lanceolate, and rather longer. Corol papilionaceous, 

 resupinate, of a bright yellow colour. Banner round, emar- 

 ginate, large in proportion to the other petals, inserted with 

 the wings and carina partly on the base of the staminiferous 

 tube,and partly on the mouths of the tube of the calyx. Winfjs 

 free, obliquely-ovate, concave, longer than the carina, which 

 is at the base two-parted ; the upper half incurved and su- 

 bulate. Filaments ten, united into one fleshy tube, with a 

 groove, but no opening on the upper side. Anthers alter- 

 nately sagittate and ovate. Germ ovate, lodged on the very 

 base of the sessile tube of the calyx. Stijle long and slender. 

 Stigma even with the anthers, and bearded on the inside. 

 Legume oblong, leathery, swelled at each seed, reticulated 

 with prominent nerves, one celled, not opening spontaneous- 

 ly, nor are the sutures very conspicuous ; length various, but 

 in g-eneral about as thick as the little finger. Seeds from one 

 to four, ovate, smooth, of the size of a French bean. The 

 manner in which the young minute germ of the plant acquire 

 pedicels, sufficiently long to allow them to thrust themselves 

 into the ground to the depth of one, two, or even three inches, 

 where they grow and ripen their seed, is truly wonderful. 

 To understand this admirable economy, it must be observed 



VOL. III. "' J 



