258 XL. LEGUMINOS.E, [Pliaseohs, 



meus elongated and twining, but, like P, viitgaris, it is more generally culti- 

 vated as dwavf and erect. Leaflets mostly ovate, acute or acuminate, entire 

 or minutely 3-lobed, the lateral ones very oblique, 2 to 3 in. long. Stipules 

 rather large, pblong, produced below their insertion so as to appear peltate. 

 Flowers rather small, pale yellow, in 3 or 3 clusters at the end of the pedun- 

 cle or rarely more numerous in a somewhat elongated raceme. Bracteoles 

 small and very deciduous. Calyx 2 upper lobes very short and broad, the 

 lowest nearly as long as the tube and acute. Keel spirally twisted to one 

 side, with a spur near the base of the lamina on the same side only. Pods 

 spreading or reflexed, cylindrical when ripe, 2 to 3 in. long, scarcely 3 lines 

 broad, hirsute or rarely glabrous, 



N. Australia. Upper Victoria river, F. iLieller ; islands of the N. coast, R. Brown, 

 Queensland. Endcavoui- river. Banks and Solander : Gould Islaad, M'GiUhray; 



liiiustone hi\h,LeicMardi ; Boweu river, Bowman ; Rockhampton, Dallaohtf. 



The Australian specimens belong chiefly to the slender twining form, which includes P. 



radlaliis, Roxb., or P. RoAuryhii, W, and Arn. Piod. 24G, and P. trinercius, Heyne, 



"W. and Arn. Prod. 245. This, like the erect form, including F, Max, Linn., as well as ?. 



Mungo^ appears to be very abuudajit, wild or cultivated, in tropical Asia, but not m 



Amci * 



'ica. 



59. VIGNA, Savi. 



(Scytalis and Strophostyles, F. Mey. ; Plectrotropis, Schum) 



Calyx 2 upper lobes united into one, or more or less distinct. Standard 

 broad, spreading; wings obliquely obovate, adhering to the keel; keel in- 

 curved, either obtuse or with an obliquely incurved beak, not forming a com- 

 plete spire. Upper stamen free, the others united; anthers uniform. 

 Ovary nearly sessile, with several ovules ; style thickened upwards and lon- 

 gitudinally bearded - -^ ' * - ■• ^ - ^^^- ^'""^i" 



side of the styl 



a small or shortly linear hiluni, not stroph.w.a...— ....^^ r^ 



trailing or twining, or short and erect in the same species. Leaves piniiately 

 tnfoliolate, stipellate, the leaflets entire or 3-lobed. Stipules usually persistent, 

 rarely produced below their insertion. Flowers greenish yellow or purple, on 

 very short pedicels, in clusters of 2 or 3 on lateral nodes in the upper portion 

 of long axillary peduncles, or more frequently only 1 or 3 such clusters ai 

 file end of the peduncle. Bracts and bracteoles usually very deciduous. 



The genus is as widely distributed as Fkaseolus over the warmer regions of the ^^^f^ 

 the Old World, and comprises several extensively cultivated species. It only ditlers ii 

 from Fhaseolu^ m the keel not forming complete spires. Of the four Australian spet^ 

 three have a very wide range m the New and the Old World, the fourth is eudeunc 



Calyx-lobes acute, as long as the tuhe, the 2 upper united at the base ... , 



only. Keel with a long obliquely incm-vcd beak I, V,vexim - 



Calyx-lobes short, the 2 upper ones united into one broad entire one. 

 Keel rather acute, hut not beaked- 

 Leaflets obovate, \try obtuse . i . . . . • 2. F- M^^^ 



Leaflets mostly ovate, acute or acuminate, or narrow and lanceolate or 



linear. , 



Flowers 7 or 8 lines long. Leaflets mostly ovate 3. F^ w>- 



ilowers about 5 lines long. Leaflets mostly lanceolate or linear . *• ^-^^"^ 



1. V. vexiUata, ^e»^A. in Mart. Fl. Bras. Papil. 193, ^. 50, /• 



