263 



2. LATHYRUS SATIVUS. 



BLUE-FLOWERED LATHYRUS. 



'I'h IS genus conlaiiis plants of die herbaceous climbmg (lowcry 

 kinds. 



It belongs to the class anil order Diadelphiii Decandrkt, and ranks 

 in the natural order of Papi/ioiiacea or Leguminoscc. 



The characters are : that the calyx is a one-leafed perianlhiuni, 

 half five-cleft, bell-shaped: divisions lanceolate, sharp: the two 

 upper ones shorter ; the lowest longer : (he corolla papilionaceous: 

 standard obcordate, very large, reflex on llie sides and tip: wings 

 oblong, lunulate, short, obtuse: keel half-orbiculate, size of (he 

 wings, and wider than (he wings, gaping inwards in (he middle: (he 

 stamina have diadelphous filamen(s, (single and nine-cleft) rising 

 upwards: anthers, roundish: the pistilluin is a compressetl germ, 

 oblong, linear: style erected upwards, flat, wider above, with sharp 

 lip: stigma, from the middle of (he s(yle (o (lie lip villose in front: 

 the pericarpium is a legume, very long, cviiiulric or coniprcssed, 

 acuminate, one-celled, bivalve: the seeds several, cylindric, globose, 

 or but little cornered. 



The species cultivated are: 1. L. odorafi/s, Sweet Ladiyi'us, or 

 Pea; 2. L. TinQita/n/s, Tangier I,a(liyrus, or Pea; 3. L. lulij'olius. 

 Broad-leaved Lathyrus, or Everlasting Pea. 



Several other species may be cul(iva(ed wliere variety is wanted. 



The first is an annual plant, which rises from three (o four feet 

 high by means of its long claspers or tendrils: the flower-stalks come 

 out at the joints, are about six inches long, and sustain two large 

 flowers, which have a strong odour, anfl are succeeded by oblong- 

 hairy pods, having four five or roundish seeds in each. It is a native 

 of Sicily. ... — . . . . - 



