Obdeu 4C— LEGUMINOSLE. 317 



3 P. carneum Mx. Glabrous, erect; lfts. 5 to 7, lance-linear ; spikes oblong, pe- 

 dunculate ; bracts obovate, somewhat exceeding tho short teeth of tho glabrous 

 calyx; pet. oblong, narrowed at base in the long claws. — Ga. and Fla. Slender, 

 branching, 1 to 2f high; Ivs. fascicled in the axils. Lfts. acute, 5 to 8" long. 

 Spikes 1' long. Fls. roseate or white. Aug. 



4 P. gracile Nutt. Glabrous, decumbmt at base; lfts. 7, lance-lincar ; spihai 

 oblong or cylindrical, somewhat sessile ; bracts acute, about equaling the short, 

 blunt calyx teeth ; petals ovate ; vex. broadly cordate. — '£) "W. Fla. and Ala. 

 nearly simple, 1 to 2f long, leafy to near the top. Lfts. 3 to G'' long. Spikes 

 to 12'' long. Fls. white. 



5 P. corymbostim Mx. St. corymbously branched; spikes capitate, sessile; 

 bracts broad, colored, the outer leaf-bearing and flowerless ; lfts. linear, 5 to 7. — 

 A singularly elegant plant of the pine barrens, N. Car. to Fla. Sts. 1 to 2 f high, 

 many from one root, each with a corymb at summit. Heads resemble the Com- 

 positor, with red scales and white lance-oblong petals. Sept., Oct. 



33. ASTRAG'ALUS, L. Milk Vetch. Calyx 5-toothed; keel of 



the corolla obtuse ; stamens diadelphous (9 and 1) ; legumes 2-cdled by 

 the introflexion of the lower suture. — Herbaceous or suffruticous, with 

 unequally pinnate lvs., and the fls. in spikes or racemes. 



§ Legumes straight, cylin<lric. Flowers ochrolencnus No. 1 



| Legumes curved, iirisina-tic. Fls. whitish or bluish ^os. 2 — i 



§ Legumes globular, fleshy. Fls. whitish or blue No. 5 



1 A. Canadensis L. Canescent, erect, diffuse ; stip. broad-lanceolate, acumi- 

 nate; lfts. about 10 pairs, elliptical, obtuse at both ends; tho lowest ovate, ob- 

 tuse; ped. about as long as the lvs., when in fruit shorter; bracts subulate, as 

 long as the cal. ; fls. somewhat reflexed ; leg. ovate-oblong, terete, suberect, 

 smooth, many-seeded, abrupt at tho end and tipped with the permanent style. — 

 If Paver banks, etc., Can. and IT. S. St. bushy, about 3f high, very leafy. 

 Fls. greenish-yellow, in dense spikes. Pods -V in length, leathery. Jl. Aug. 



2 A. glaber Mx. Nearly glabrous, erect; stip. minute or 0; lfts. S to 11 pairs, 

 oblong-lanceolate or linear, obtuse or emarginat a ; spikes loose, much longer than 

 the lvs. ; brads subulate, scarcely longer than the pedicels ; leg. flattened, reticu- 

 lated. — If Pino barrens, N. Car. to Fla. St. 1 to 2f high. Fls. greenish white. 

 Pods distant, IV long, spreading, incurved, acute at each end. Apr. 



3 A. obcordatus Ell. Nearly glabrous, decumbent or assurgent ; stip. lance- 

 olate ; lfts. 7 to 12 pairs, obcordate or obovate, ped. about as long as the lvs., few- 

 flowered, fls. pedicellate; cal. teeth subulate, about as long as the tube; leg. curved, 

 pointed, strongly reticulated. — River banks, N. Car. to Fla. Plant low and leafy, 

 ascending 4 to 8'. Fls. blue and white. Pod 1' in length. Lfts. 3 to 4" long. 



4 A. distortus Torn & Gr. St. and ped. as in No. 3 ; stip. ovate ; lvs. long- 

 petioled, lfts. oblong-obovate, mostly emarginate, 7 to 12 pairs; spikes short ; caL 

 teeth triangular-acuminate, half as long as the tube; leg. smooth, dedinale, curved. — 

 Prairies, W. 111. (Mead) to Ark. Branches ascending 4 to C. Lfts. 3 to 5'' by 1 

 to 2''. Fls. blue, G' long. Pods 1' long, beaked with the coiled style. Probably 

 a variety of the last. 



5 A .Mesicanus A. DC. Low, branches decumbent, glabrous ; lvs. pedunculate, 

 lfts. 7 to 10 pairs, obovate, emarginate; ped. rather longer than the lvs.; spikes 

 short, 10 to 15-flowered; leg. globular, obtuse, succulent, sweet-tasted. — Prairies, 

 111., Mo. to Ark. Plant 3 to 5' high. Lfts. 2 to 3" by 1 to 2''. Fls. about 0'' 

 long (yellowish white in h. s.), bluish ? Fr. as largo a3 the plum, aud " eaten 

 unripe by travelers, raw or cooked." 



39. PHACA, L. (Gr. ^dut], lentil, from (frayo), to cat.) Calyx 

 5-toothed, keel obtuse; stamens diadelphous (9 and 1) ; legume con- 

 tinuous, turgid, 1-celled ; placenta} tumid, several-seeded. U Lvs. un- 

 equally pinnate. Fls. in axillary, pedunculate raceme. (Differs from 

 Astragalus only in its fruit.) 



• Plant densely villous. Flowers greenish yellow No. 1 



• Plant nearly glabrous. Flowers white or'purple Not, 2—4 



