PEA FAMILY 



131 



flat, breaking up into 3 — 6 i-seeded horseshoe-shaped joints. 

 (Name from the Greek hippos, a horse, krepis, a shoe.) 



I. H. combsa (Tufted Horseshoe-vetch). — The only British 

 species, a nearly prostrate plant, with long, much-branched stems, 

 woody at the base; leaflets 7 — 17; and umbellate heads of 6 — 

 10 yellow flowers. It might be 

 mistaken for Ldtus corniciildtus ; 

 but the pinnate leaves and pods 

 resembling a series of horse-shoes, 

 united by their extremities, serve 

 to distinguish it. — Chalky banks 

 in the south of England. — Fl. 

 May — August. Perennial. 



17. Onobrychis (Sainfoin). — 

 Herbs ; leaves imparipinnate ; 

 stipiiles membranous ; flowers in 

 axillary spikes or racemes; 

 stamens diadelphous ; pod com- 

 pressed, indehiscent, straight, i- 

 seeded. (Name from the Greek 

 6?ios, an ass, bn/cho, I bray.) 



I. O. viciczfblia (Common Sain- 

 foin, Cock's-head). — The only 

 British species, a handsome plant ; 

 pubescent with adpressed hairs ; 

 ste7ns I — 2 feet long, ascending 

 stout; leaflets 17 — 25, oblong 

 apiculate ; flowers in ovoid, com- 

 pact racemes, rosy-red, with darker 

 veins ; pod semicircular, toothed 

 along its lower (curved) margin. — 

 Chalky and limestone hills, per- 

 haps indigenous in the south-east 

 of England ; but often cultivated 

 as fodder.— Fl. June — August. 

 Perennial. 



18. ViciA (Vetch). — Herbs, generally climbing by the tendrils 

 which terminate their paripinnate leaves ; leaflets generally many ; 

 flowers in axillary racemes ; stamens diadelphous ; style thread- 

 like, with a small ring of down near the extremity, or a tuft on 

 the under side ; pod compressed, 2-valved. (Name, the classical 

 Latin name, originally derived, according to The'is, from Keltic 

 gwig ; German Wickcn, Greek bikion, French vesce.) 



K2 



Ox6bRYCHIS VICIvEFOLIA 



{Coj/imon Sain/oin). 



