PEA FAMILY 



129 



on a chalky or gravelly soil ; uncommon. — Fl. June, July. Pe- 

 rennial. 



12. OxYTROPis.— Herbs, distinguished from Astragalus md^r\\y 

 by having a mucronate point to the keel of the corolla. (Name 

 from the Greek oxus, sharp, troj^is, a keel.) 



1. O. uralhisis (Hairy Mountain Oxytropis). — A low plant; 

 leaves radical ; leaflets in about 1 2 pairs ; pedimdes longer than the 

 leaves, erect, silky, 6 — lo-flowered; flowers bright purple; Pods 

 erect, silky. — Dry mountain 

 pastures in Scotland ; rare. — Fl. 

 June, July. Perennial. 



2. O. canipestris (Yellowish 

 Mountain Oxytropis). — A larger, 

 hairy, but less silky species, with 

 pedu7uies scarcely longer than the 

 leaves, and yellowish flowers 

 tinged with purple. Occurs only 

 in the Clova mountains. — Fl. 

 June, July. Perennial. 



13. Ornithopus (Bird's-foot). 

 — Slender, hairy herbs ; leaves 

 imparipinnate ; flowers few, 

 minute, in long-stalked ujnbels^ 

 with a pinnate leaf below each 

 umbel ; keel blunt ; stamefis 

 diadelphous ; pods curved, in- 

 dehiscent, with many oval, i- 

 seeded joints. (Name from the 

 Greek poiU^ a foot, orfiifhos, of 

 a bird, from the shape of the 

 fruits.) 



I. O. perpiis'illus (Common 

 Bird's-foot). — A pretty little 

 plant, with spreading, prostrate, 

 slender stems; downy leaves of 

 13 — 25 leaflets; exceedingly small cream-coloured yZ^zc/^ri-, veined 

 with crimson, with a leaf below each head; and curved 7 — 9- 

 ]o\vXQ.dL pods ending in a claw-like beak. — Sandy heaths; frequent. 

 — Fl. Alay — August. Annual. 



14. CoRONiLLA (Crown-vetch). — Perennial herbs or shrubs, 

 with imparipinnate leaves ; y7(?a'«?rj- on long-stalked, axillary iwibels ; 

 calyx-teeth unequal, the two upper united ; petals rather 

 long-clawed ; keel beaked ; stamens diadelphous ; pod cylindric, 



K 



ORNfTHOPUS PERPUSi'lLUS 



{Cofutiion Bird' s -foot'). 



