96 Leguminose : [ Desmanthus. 
pet. almost free, 5; stam. 10, free, much longer than the 
corolla; pod flat, narrow, dehiscent; seeds numerous.—Sp. 
8-9; Tropical American. 
D. vircatus Willd. Sp. Pl. IV, p. 1047 (1806). Mimosa virgata 
Linn. Sp. Pl. p. 519 (1753). M. pernambucana Linn. 1. c. Desman- 
thus pernambucanus Thell. in Mem. Soc. Nat. Chert., Sér. 1, XVIII, 
p. 296 (1911). 
A shrub, about 4 ft. high; pinnz 3-5 pairs; lfts. 7-18 pairs, 
oblong-linear, sessile elabrous, very unequal- sided, 0-4 in. 
long; flower heads solitary, axillary; pos. 35 in. long, with 
about 30 seeds. 
Rather common in waste places. FI. July—Sept. ; creamy-white. 
Native of Tropical America. 
61b. Mimosa Linn. 
Herbs or woody plants; 1. bipinnate, stipulate; fls. in 
heads, hermaphrodite or polyg amous; calyx minute, shortly 
lobed : pet. usually 4, united; stam. 4-10, exserted, free; 
pod flat, made up of 1-seeded joints.—Sp. about 300; mostly 
natives of Tropical America. 
M. pupica Linn. Sp. Pl. p. 518 (1753) pp. 
A procumbent shrub; stems with scattered prickles; leaf- 
rachis 1-1% in. long; pinne 2 pair; Iflts. about 18 pairs, 
sparsely strigose, oblong, sensitive to the touch; heads soli- 
tary, axillary; stamens 4, 3 times as long as the petals; 
pods 4 in. long, 3-4 jointed, with marginal bristles. 
Low country; common. FI. July, etc. ; purplish-pink. 
A native of Tropical America. 
Page 122.— 
62. ACACIA Willd. 
Add to key: 
Pod cylindrical : 
Pod curved nearly into a ring . : . 2. A, PLANIFRONS. 
Pod straight or slightly curved : . 2a. A. Farnesiana. 
Add to key: 
Heads in panicles: 
Pod not constricted . : . 5. A. LEUCOPHLGA. 
Pod constricted between the seeds : 
Fls. chrome-yellow ; : : : ; A. dealbata. 
Fls. pale sulphur-yellow : : : A. decurrens. 
A. arabica Willd. Mul-vel, Oussizeek S. (Capt. Walker). 
Single tree midway between Kekirava and Dambulla; one tree below 
Yodiela Bund at Sangatteva (Nevill). 
2a. A. FaRNESIANA Willd. Sp. Pl. IV, p. 1083 (1806). Mimosa 
Farnesiana Linn. Sp. Pl. p. 521 (1753). 
Part Ik 
