DIADELPHIA. 3S9 



genus, and more certain species are possibly latent 

 among the numerous unsettled papilionaceous plants 

 of India. 



*'^**** Legume of one cell, xvith several seeds. Ta 

 this belong the genus Melilotus, if separated from 

 Trifolium ; the Lidigqfera, several species of which 

 are so valuable for dyeing blue ; the handsome Robinia, 

 Curt. Mag. t. 3l\ ; Cytisus, t. 176, &c. ; and Cll- 

 toria^^ Ins. of Georgia, t.\%\ also Lotus, Engl. Bot. 

 t, 9^5, and Aledicago, t. \6\6; which last is justly 

 transferred by Willdenow from the foregoing section 

 to this. 



Papilionaceous plants are rarely noxious to the larger 

 tribes of animals, though some species of Galega in- 

 toxicate fish. The seeds of Cijtisus Laburnum have 

 of late been found violently emetic, and those of 

 Lathyrus sativus have been supposed at Florence ta 

 soften the bones, and cause death ; we know of no 

 other similar instances in this Class, which is one of 

 the most abundant in valuable esculent plants. The 

 Negroes have a notion that the beautiful little scarlet 

 and black seeds of Abrus precatorius, so frequently 

 used for necklaces, are extremely poisonous, insomuch 

 that half of one is sufficient to kill a man. This is 

 totally incredible. Linnasus however asserts rather too 

 absolutely, that " among all the leguminous or papi- 



* From TiXBicjUj to close or shut up, in allusion to the situation of 



z 2 



the wings and keel. 



