105- LEGUMINOSAE 27I 



223. Flowers in heads surrounded by large imbricate bracts. Lowest calyx- 



lobe very large, petaloid. Standard ovate or oblong ; wings oblong. 



(See 157.) Liparia L. 



Flowers solitary or in racemes, umbels, or heads with small or medium- 

 sized bracts. Lowest calyx-lobe equalling or slightly exceeding the 

 others. Standard suborbicular ; wings obovate. Bracteoles bristle- 

 like. (See 157.) Priestleya DC. 



224. Stem herbaceous or woody at the base only 225 



Stem woody throughout 241 



225. Uppermost stamen united with the others at least in its lower half. . 226 

 Uppermost stamen free from the others throughout or at the base. . 229 



226. Ovule I. Ovary sessile. Style slender. Calyx-teeth long and pointed. 



Petals shortly clawed. Fruit enclosed by the calyx, ovate, indehisccnt. 

 Flowers i — 3 in the axils of the leaves. — Species 6. South Africa 



(Cape Colony) Hallia Thunb. 



Ovules 2 or more. Fruit dehiscing by two valves 227 



227. Style bearded. Ovary more or less distinctly stalked. Seeds with an 



aril. Leaves reduced to the broadened or tendril-bearing petiole. 



(See 128.) Lathyrus L. 



Style glabrous. Leaves unifoliolate 228 



228. Style short and broad. Ovary sessile. Petals red, long-clawed. Fruit 



compressed. Leaflets entire. Stipules awl-shaped. Flowers very 

 small, in axillary racemes. — Species 5. Central Africa to Transvaal. 



Microcharis Brnth. 

 Style awl-shaped. Ovary more or less distinctly stalked. Calyx deeplj' 

 divided. Petals short-clawed. Leaflets toothed. Stipules adnate 

 to the leaf-stalk. Flowers i — 3 in the axils of the leaves. (See 129.) 



Ononis L. 



229. Uppermost stamen united with the others in the middle, at least vvhen 



young, free at the base, later sometimes free throughout. . . . 230 

 Uppermost stamen free from the base or nearly from the base. . . 234 



230. Fruit jointed 231 



Fruit not jointed 232 



231. Upper calyx -lobes separate. Wings small ; standard subsessile. Ovary 



stalked. Ovules i — 3. Leaflets without stipels. FlowerS in axillary, 

 few-flowered racemes, with small bracteoles. — Species 5. Nileland and 



Island of Socotra Taverniera DC. 



Upper calyx-lobes more or less united. Wings oblong, adhering to the 

 keel. Ovules 2 or more. Leaflets usually with stipels. — Species 40. 

 Tropical and South Africa. Some are used as ornamental, medicinal, 

 or textile plants. {Meibomia Moehr.). . . . Desmodium Desv. 



232. Flowers very small, in pairs in the axils of the leaves, with minute bract- 



eoles. Fruit oblong, with a membranous pericarp, indchiscent. 

 Leaflets without stipels. — Species 2. South Africa I0 Angola. 



Sylitra E. Mey. 



