Alysicarjpus.l XL. leguminos^. 239 



• 



leaf. Flowers small, in slenJer terminal or rarely axillary racemes, tlie pedi- 

 cels usually in pairs. Bracts scai'ious. 



j IV 1. ^f^^^^ ^"s generally spread over tropical Asia arid Africa, one species having also csta- 

 Dlished itself in some parts of America. The three Australian species are all coinraoa 

 Indian ones." 



Calrx g^all, with very narrow lobes. Pod sevei^l times lonp;er, not 

 contracted, but with slightly raised transverse lines between the 

 ^^^^^ / I. A. vaginalis. 



talyx with narrow-lanceolate striate lobes, not overlapping. Pod 

 about twice as long, scarcely contracted between the seeds, the articles 

 slightly and irregularly wrinkled Z, A, longifolius., 



tai)'s with lanceolate, rigid, not striate lobes overlapping each other, 

 rod shortly exserted, much contracted between the seeds, articles 

 deeply marked with transverse wrinkles 3. ^. rugosus. 



The common Indian A, monillfer, DC, with smooth globular bead-like articles to the 

 pod, may very likely be found also in tropical Australia. 



1. A, vaginalis, BG. Prod ii. 353. A perennial, tufted or much 

 ^ranched at the base, the stems decumbent or ascending, from a few inches to 

 above a foot long, glabrous or slightly pubescent. Leaves on short slender 

 petioles, the lower ones cordate-orbicular or oval, not \ in. long, the upper 



■ <'nes tro'm oval-oblong to lanceolate-linear, aud often 1 in. long or more, all 

 pDtuse. Eacemes slender, terminal or at length leaf-opposed ; pedicels short, 

 in rather distant pairs. Flowers very small Calyx about 2 lines long, the 

 Jobes very narrow," ending in a subulate almost hair-like point, the 2 upper 

 ones less united than in most species. Petals scarcely exceeding the calyx, 

 j-od often I iu. long or ratlibr more, slightly compressed, obscurely wrinkled, 

 ine separation of the articles marked by transverse raised lines, without any 

 ^l" ^^\^}y ^^^ith a slight contraction.— IV. and Arn. Prod. 233 ; A, nummtda- 

 ricrfohus, DC. Prod. ii. 353 ; W. and Arn. Prod. 232. 



.Y^^^'^la^id. Burdekin river and Broad Sound, Bowman. Common in E. India aud 

 Arciiipelago, and introduced into other pai-ts of the world. 



2. A. longifolius, W, and Am. Prod. 233. Nearly glabrous, except 



the 



1-aceme, which is more or less clothed with soft hairs. Stems erect, 

 ^at licr slender, but rigid, attaining 2 ft. or more. Leaves linear-Iauceolate, 

 ^cute 2 to 4 in. long, or the lower ones shorter broader and more obtuse. 

 ° 7?^^^ usnally loijgcr than the petioles. Eacemes slender, terminal ; pedi- 

 '^\ 1" pairs, shorter than the calyx. Calyx about 3 lines long, the lobes Ian- 

 2'ate-subulate, striate, scared/ overlapping each other, the 2 upper ones 

 Jlmost completely united into one rather broaddr than the others. Pod abou 

 . in long, compressed, not at all contracted between the seeds buj. without 

 t. 251 '°'''"'^ ^'^^' fi"c^ slightly and irregularly wrinkled.-\\ ight, Ic. 



W. Australia. Arnhcm N. Bay, R. Brown. Also in iLe E. Indian peninsula. 



cnmi ^: '^Sosus, DC. Prod. ii. 353. An annual or biennial, with pro- 

 cjmbent ascending or erect stems, attaining 1 to 2 ft., but sometimes low and 

 Jbot pubescent or loosely hmrx. Leaves articulate on a short petiole, the 

 3 in r^'' °^^'"^«' i to 1 in. long, the upper ones lanceolate or linenr^ 1 to 

 in- Hacemcs in the Australian form rather long, softly hairy. Bract3 



