105- LEGUMINOSAE 269 



Bracts very large, imbricate, hiding the flowers and fruits. Bracteoles 

 none. Flowers very small. Filaments all united. Ovules 2. Herbs. 

 Stipules produced at the base into a spur -like appendage. — Species 9. 

 Central Africa Geissaspis Wight & Arn. 



Bracts not hiding the flowers, usually small and deciduous. Bracteoles 

 present 208 



Fruit enclosed by the enlarged calyx. Filaments all united. Ovules more 

 than two. — Species 30. Tropical and South-east Africa. {Damapana 

 Adans., including Kotschya Endl.) Smithia Ait.. 



Fruit much exceeding the calyx 209 



Ovary sessile. Uppermost stamen free. Keel obtuse. Fruit ring- 

 shaped or spirally twisted, flat, glabrous except at the shortly spinous 

 sutures, 2-valved. Herbs. Leaves with 2 — 4 pairs of leaflets. Stip- 

 ules spurred at the base. Bracts not spurred. — Species i. West 

 Africa Cyclocarpa Afz. 



Ovary stalked. Fruit straight, curved, or spirall}^ twisted ; in the 

 latter case covered with glandular hairs. — Species 60. Tropical and 

 South Africa. Some species (especially the ambatch, A. Elaphroxylon 

 Taub.) yield cork-wood, fibre, and medicaments. (Including Hcr- 

 miniera Guill. & Perr.) Aeschynomene L. 



Style hairy, usually bearded lengthwise. Fruit more or less flattened,, 

 i-celled, 2-valved. Seeds with an outgrowth near the hilum. Herbs. 

 Bracteoles rudimentary^ or wanting 211 



Style glabrous 214 



Staminal tube obliquely truncate at its mouth 212 



Staminal tube evenly truncate 213 



Stjrle bearded on the inner face. Flowers small. Corolla bluish-white ; 

 keel somewhat pointed. Uppermost stamen free. Ovary almost 

 sessile. Ovules 2. Seeds flat. — Species 3. North Africa ; also 

 cultivated in northern Central Africa. The seeds of L. esculenta 

 Moench (lentils) are used as food, for the preparation of starch, and in 

 medicine. (Under Ervimi L.) .... Lens Gren. & Godr. 



Style hairy all round or on the back only ; in the latter case flowers large 

 or middle-sized. Seeds globose or slightly flattened. — Species 40. 

 North and East Africa ; some species also naturalized in South Africa 

 and the Mascarene Islands. They yield fodder, edible fruits and seeds 

 (especially beans from V. Faba L.), and medicaments ; some are used as 

 ornamental plants. " Vetch." (Including Ervuni L. and Faha 

 Tourn.) Vicia L. 



Stjde-apex compressed laterally, with the margins bent upwards, hence 

 grooved above. Ovary subsessile. Ovules more than 2. Corolla 

 white or red ; keel blunt. Uppermost stamens free at the base. 

 Leaves wdth i — 3 pairs of leaflets. (See 141.). . . . Pisum L. 



Style-apex compressed dorsally, with the margins straight or bent down- 

 wards. (See 128.) Lathyrus L. 



