PEA AND BEAN TRIBE 195 



of this plant, and procured for it in our rural districts the name of Lamb's 

 Toes ; while another species, growing in the south of Europe, which has a 

 still thicker down on its cups, is on this account called Jupiter's Beard. The 

 leaves are of a pale sea-green colour, smooth at the edges, very thick, and 

 remaining green for some months after the flower is dead, these sprays 

 forming a pretty ornament to the inland or seaside chalky cliff, on which 

 they are often abundant. . They are common on the sea-clifts both of Dover 

 and of the Cornish shores, becoming in the latter somewhat stunted, but 

 being luxuriant on the former spot. The flowers are small, but in dense 

 clusters ; they are most generally yellow, but are sometimes white, crimson, 

 or cream-coloured. Linnteus remarked of it that in CEland, where the soil 

 is of red calcareous clay, the flowers are red, but that on the white chalky 

 soil of Gothland they are white. This plant, as well as several of the species 

 of other countries, affords a good pasturage for cattle. Mr. Young, who 

 recommended its culture, says, that it is very abundant on the best meadows 

 of the Pyrenees, where it is of smaller growth, and less astringent in pro- 

 perty. Some of the best pasture lands of the south of Europe abound with 

 the Kidney-vetch, and many agriculturists have thought that it would repay 

 the attention of British farmers, as it flourishes so Avell on dry barren soils. 

 It was of old used as a vulnerary ; and Gesner having recommended it as an 

 application for stanching the effusion of blood, it shared, with several of our 

 plants, the name of Wound-wort, and was also called Staunch. In the early 

 part of the eighteenth century it was commonly sold in Ireland under that 

 name. The French call it L'AnfhyUide ; the Germans, Die JVollblume ; the 

 Dutch, JFwul Kruid ; and it is the Antilide of the Italians and Spaniards. 

 It flowers from June to August ; in Cornwall as early as the middle of March. 

 It is very common in the north of Europe. A good yellow dye may be 

 procured. from its flowers. 



11. OXYTROPIS. 



1. Hairy Mountain Oxytropis {0. uralcnsis). — Leaves and flowers 

 rising directly from the roots ; flower-stalks longer than the leaves ; all parts 

 of the plant covered with silky hair. Plant perennial. This is a very lovely 

 ornament of some pasture lands in Scotland. Its leaf spray is composed of 

 from eight to twelve pairs of leaflets, which are thickly clothed with silky 

 hairs, so as to give them a glossy, almost metallic appearance, especially 

 when they are only half unfolded, and when the silky hair is most dense. 

 The flowers are in close heads, of a bright purple colour, appearing in June 

 and July. 



2. Yellowish Mountain Oxytropis {0. campt'sfris). — Stemless ; 

 leaflets having silky hairs scattered over them ; legume imperfectly tAvo- 

 celled. Plant perennial. This is a rare flower of the Clova Mountains. Its 

 heads of blossoms are of pale yellow, tinged with purple. 



12. Milk- Vetch {Astragalus). 



1. Sweet Milk-vetch {A. ghjcyphyllos). — Stem prostrate; leaflets 

 oval ; leaves longer than the flower-stalks ; stipules large, egg-shaped, and 

 pointed ; pods somewhat triangular, smooth and curved. Plant perennial. 

 This is not a very common plant in EngUuid, and it is still more unfrequent 



25—2 



