105- LEGUMINOSAE 277 



276. Style with a crown of hairs beneath the large ovoid stigma. Wings 



longer than the keel, but shorter than the standard. Stipules long- 

 spurred. — Species i. Southern West Africa (Congo). 



Vignopsis De W'ild. 



Style bearded on the inner face towards the top, or peniciilate round the 



small terminal stigma. Wings adhering to the keel. — Species 60. 



Tropical and South Africa. Some species yield fodder and edible 



fruits or seeds, or serve as ornamental plants. . . . Dolichos L. 



277. Keel spirally twisted. Ovary surrounded by a cupular disc. Stigma 



lateral or oblique 278 



Keel more or less curved inwards, but not spiral 279 



27S. Keel with a long spur ; wings free. Ovary stalked. Ovules 2 — 3. 

 Style with a pointed dorsal appendage at the apex. Flowers violet 

 or whitish, without bracteoles. — Species 3. Central Africa. One 

 species {Ph. venenosum Balf., Calabar bean) has poisonous seeds used 



in ordeals and medicinally Physostigma Balf. 



Keel without a spur, but sometimes witli two gibbosities ; wings adhering 

 to the keel. Ovary almost sessile. Ovules numerous. Style without a 

 dorsal appendage at the apex. — Species 20. Tropical and South- 

 east Africa ; one species (Ph. vulgaris L.) cultivated also in extra- 

 tropical regions. The fruits and seeds of some species (beans) are eaten 

 and used for preparing starch and medicaments, those of others are 

 poisonous. Several species are used as ornamental or fodder-plants. 



Phaseolus L. 



279. Stigma lateral, situated beneath the apex of the style 280 



Stigma terminal, but sometimes oblique. 283 



280. Style-apex bent down towards the stigma. Stigma globose, blunt or 



notched. Wings oblong, equalling the blunt keel. Fruit fiat. Leaf- 

 lets usually toothed. — Species 2. Cultivated in the tropics. They 

 yield fibre used for rope-making, and edible roots and seeds, from 

 which also starch and medicaments are prepared. [Caciira Thouars). 



Pachyrrhizus Rich. 

 Style-apex bent back. Fruit turgid 2S1 



281. Fruit subglobular, i — 2 -seeded, ripening under ground. Ovules 2 — 3. 



Stigma 2-lobed. Corolla yellow ; keel blunt. Creeping herbs. Race- 

 mes I — 3-flowered. — Species i {V. siibterranea Thouars). Culti- 

 vated in Tropical and South Africa. Yields edible fruits and oily 



seeds Voandzeia Thouars 



Fruit linear, several- or many-seeded, ripening above gi;ound. Ovules 

 several or many 282 



282. Calyx deeply 4-cleft, with acuminate segments. Keel pointed ; wings 



auricled. Undershrubs with erect or ascending branches. — Species i. 



South Africa. (Under Vigna Savi) Otoptera DC. 



Calyx 4 — 5-toothed or 5-cleft. Keel blunt or beaked. — Species 65. 

 Tropical and South Africa and Egj^pt. Some species yield fibre used 



