48. 



LATHYRUS GRANDIFLORUS. 



Perennial Lathyrus. 



DiADELPHIA. DecANDRIA. 



Class 17. Order 4. 



Lathyhus : from XaQvpog of Theophrastus, which Implied something 

 of the pea or vetch tribe. 



Lin7i. gen. n. 8/2. Bot. Mag. 1938. 



GENERIC CHARACTER, 



Cal. Perianth one-leafed, half five-cleft, bell-shaped : divisions lance- 

 olate, sharp : the two upper ones shorter ; the lowest longer. 

 Cor. papilionaceous : standard obcordate, very large, reflex on the 

 sides and tip : wings oblong, lunulate, short, obtuse. Keel half- 

 orbiculate, size of the wings, gaping inwards in the middle, Stam. 

 Filaments diadelphous (single and nine-cleft), rising upwards. 

 Anthers roundish. Pist. Germ compressed, oblong, linear. Stvle 

 erected upwards, flat, wider above, with sharp tip. Stigma, from 

 the middle of the style to the tip villose in front. Per. Legume 

 very long, cylindric or compressed, acuminate, one-celled, bivalve. 

 Seeds several, cylindric, globose, or but little cornered. 



SPECIFIC CHARACTER. 



Stem rough, four-sided ; peduncle two-flowered, naked ; tendril 

 divided into two j leaves obovate, undulate. 



Root perennial. Stem branched, clinging : branches square, 

 with rounded angles, rigid, not at all winged, nor hairy, claspers 



