LEGUMINOSjE 



57 



Kidney Vetch, or Lady's Finger — 

 Ant hy His V ulneraria 



(Plate XXVII) 



This is a plant which is common in most parts 

 of Central Europe (including Britain) in dry stony 

 places, and by roadsides, etc. It is occasionally 

 grown as a fodder-plant, but is not of much value. 



The root is slender and woody, pale brown 

 outside and yellowish inside, and throws off 

 numerous rootlets. The stems are erect, cylindrical, 

 downy, and yellowish green. The root-leaves 

 spread out on the ground, and are long, with long 

 stalks, and undivided. They are smooth, of a 

 pale green, and the leaf-stalks are rather thicker 

 at the base than at the extremity. On the 

 stems the leaves are without stalks, and impari- 

 pinnate \ they consist of 3 or 4 pairs of regularly 

 arranged narrow lanceolate leaflets, with a ter- 

 minal leaflet much larger than the others. The 

 flower-head at the end of the stalk is supported 

 by large leafy bracts. The calyx is inflated, 

 yellowish green, hairy, tubular, and consists of 



5 teeth of unequal length, 

 dark yellow to reddish. 



The flowers vary from 



Tufted Vetch — Vicia Cracca 



(Plate XXVIII) 



This is a common plant in hedges and thickets, 

 and also grows among corn as a weed ; it flowers 

 in June and July. The root is creeping and 

 perennial. The stems are weak, erect or climbing, 

 angular, furrowed, and downy. The leaves are 

 numerous, often paired at the base, and stand on 

 long forked downy stalks. The leaflets are sessile, 

 or with very short stalks, and are pale green, 

 entire, lanceolate, and downy on both surfaces. 

 They terminate in three tendrils, which frequently 

 subdivide. The stipules are semi-sagittate, and 

 pointed, with even margins. The flowers stand 

 on long furrowed downy stalks, forming a long 

 cluster, drooping on one side of the plant. The 

 calyx is short, slightly reddish, and dentated. The 

 flowers are violet-blue, and the seed-pods are 

 smooth, brown, pendent, and contain black or 



