258 DIADELPHIA DECANDRIA. AbrUS. 



Gunja. Jsiat. Res. ii. 154, and 499. 



This is one of the most common plants in every part of In- 

 dia. Flowerino- time the close of the rains. 



Root ramous. Stem ligneous, twining ; bark smooth ; 7joung 

 shoots with a few , white, depressed hairs. Leaves alternate, 

 abruptly pinnate, from two to six inches long. Leaflets op- 

 posile, sub-sessile, from eight to fifteen pair, linear-oblong, 

 smooth, entire, both ends obtuse, the lower pairs smaller. Pe- 

 tioles, the common channelled on the upper side, and a little 

 hairy. Stipules of the leaves lanceolate, of the leaflets minute. 

 Racemes axillary, solitary, long-peduncled. The peduncle it- 

 self horizontal, thick, and strong, often leaf bearing. The ra- 

 ceme, or flower- bearing part, erect, secund, with the apex 

 projecting in a curve. Flowers numerous, short-pedicel led, 

 inserted on two rows of large, alternate, round, glandular tu- 

 berosities, growing on the exterior side of the raceme, pretty 

 laro-e, and of a pale pink colour. Cali/x campanulate, mouth 

 obscurely five-toothed. Corol; banner ovate, sides deflected, 

 apex ascending, the length of the wings. Witigs falcate, pro- 

 jecting horizontally. Keel cymbiform, the length of the other 

 petals. Filaments nine, conjoined into a cylinder, with a fis- 

 sure on the upper side, the distinct portions erect, and alter- 

 nately shorter. Jlnlhers ovate, small. Pistil minute, hid in 

 the base of the tube of the stamens. Germ hairy. Style very 

 short. Stigma headed. Legume of a long-rhomboidal shape, 

 protuberant at the seeds, divided by transverse membranes, 

 into as many cells as there are seeds. Seeds generally four 

 or five, spherical, smooth, of a bright, shining red, or white, 

 with a black mark at the eye, or more rarely black with a 

 Avhite eye. 



The seeds are often used as weights by jewellers. 



The root is employed as a substitute for liquorice, (Gly- 

 cyrrhiza glabra,) being like it, sweet and mucilaginous. 



Of this pretty plant, I have met with three varietes in India, 



viz. 



\st. With rose-coloured flowers, red seed, and black eye. 



