llCi M;(;rMiN(>s.ic. (itlsk famii.v.) 



» Fliiirtrs sidlUrid in Ion;/ raremi's: hijumis sriiiiildr-slKijird. 



1. P. perennis, Walt. Stom iliniKinf;, )inlK'S(i'iit ; leadcts ovate, acute, 

 entire, inciiiliiatiiutiiiis ; raceincs tifleii hruiicliiii^, twice as loiij; as tlu; leaves. 

 — l^ow woods ami margins ol' fields. July -i\iii;iisU ^ — l.,ealiels 2'-4' 

 long. Flowers purple. 



2. P. sinuatus, Nutt. Stem]in).stratc,sniootliish; leaflets small (1' long), 

 rouniiisii or ^-lolied, strongly reticulate, ratlicr rigiil ; racemes 6-8 times as 

 long as the leaves, solitary, simple. — Dry samly jiine liarrens. Florida. 

 July - August. "21 — Stem 8°- 12° long. Flowers pale jmrple. 



» * Flowers clustered iii the snmmil nf the jieduneles : lei/ume linear, nearli/ terete : 

 seed scurf II . (Strophostvi.ks, Ell.) 



3. P. diversifolius, Pers. Annual ; stems i)rostratc or trailing, mugli- 

 liairy ; leiitleis cvnte. entire or 2-;Mol)e(l; peduncles twice as long as the 

 leaves. — Sandy soil. Jniie-Sejit. — Stems 2° -4° long. Corolla purple, 

 withering greenisli. 



4. P. helvolus, L. Perennial, smooth or hairy ; stems prostrate, leaflets 

 varying from ovate to oljlong-linear, rarely 3-lobed ; peduncles 3-6 times as 

 long as the leaves. — Woods and margins of fields. June-Sejit. — Corolla 

 pale purple. 



5. P. pauciflorus, Bentb. Annu.il, softly pubescent ; stem twining; 

 leaflets r-l.\'long, obloug-ovate, obtuse ; peduncles often sliorter than the 

 leaves, few-flowered ; flowers small, legume broadly linear, com])rcssed, hir- 

 sute, few-seeded ; seeds oval, smooth. — Waste ground, ]\Iississi])pi, Tenuea- 

 see, and westward. 



28. VIGNA, Savi. 



Calyx 4-tootlied, the upper tooth broader, entire or 2-cleft. Vexillum de- 

 pressed-orbicular, with thickened knobs near the base. Keel not twisted. 

 Stamens included in the keel, diadelphous, aud with the style bent upward. 

 Style hairy above, appendaged below the stigma. Legume nearly terete, 

 somewhat torulose, the seeds separated by cellular tissue. — Twining herbs, 

 with trifoliolate leaves, and racemose axillary flowers. 



1. V. luteola, Benth. Annual, smooth or hirsute; leaflets ovate or 

 ovate-lanceolate; racemes on stout peduncles longer than the leaves; flowers 

 yellow, crowded ; legume terete, liirsutc. — Bracki.sh maislies along the coast, 

 .luly - Sept. 



29. ERYTHRINA, L. 



Calyx tubular-campaniilate, truncate, toothless. Vexillum narrow, straight, 

 elongated. Keel and wings very small. Stamens and style partly exserted. 

 Legume stipitate, torulose, partly dehiscent. — Trees, shrubs, or rarely herbs, 

 often armed with prickles. Leaves trifoliolate, the terminal leaflet long- 

 petiolulatc. Flowers showy, scarlet, in long racemes. 



1. E. herbacea, L. Stems herbaceous, .several from a very thick root, 

 prickly, the flowering ones mostly leafless ; leaves long petioled ; leaflets ovate 

 or somewhat hastate; vexillum lanceolate, folded; seeds scarlet. — Light 



