104 LEGUMINOS.^. 



a branched tendril. The flowers are on stout stalks, two or three 

 to each stalk, are very large and showy, having the keel and 

 wings dark purple, and the standard large and broad, shaded 

 lighter. They appear from June till August. Native of the 

 south of Europe. 



L. latifolius {Broad-leaved Everlasting Pea). — This is a dis- 

 tinct and well-marked variety of the L. sylvestris^ which is 

 regarded by gardeners and by many Continental botanists as a 

 species on its own account, and for ornamental gardening it is 

 quite worthy of the distinction. It grows 6 or more feet high, 

 with weaker stems than the last. The leaf-stalks support two 

 broadly-lanceolate leaflets, and terminate in a branched ten- 

 dril. The flowers are produced in a loose few-flowered raceme, 

 are purple and pink, of a very showy character, and appear 

 throughout the summer and often far into autumn. There 

 is a handsome white-flowered variety in cultivation which is 

 desirable. 



L. mutabilis {Changeable Everlasting Pea). — This species 

 grows from 4 to 5 feet high, with stems weak, straggling, and 

 winged. The leaves are composed of several pairs of broadly 

 egg-shaped leaflets which are milky green, and terminate in a 

 simple unbranched tendril. The flowers are produced in 

 loose racemes, changing from purple to purplish red. They 

 appear in June and last till August. Native of Siberia. 



L. sylvestris ( Wood Everlasting Pea). — This has the habit 

 of growth and inflorescence of the last, but the leaves are 

 narrower and longer, and the flowers are less effective, being 

 light purplish red. It is a native of Britain and many parts of 

 the continent of Europe. Height about the same as preced- 

 ing, and the flowers appear about the same time and last as 

 long. 



L. tuberosus (Tiibe?'ous-7'ooted Everlasting Pea). — This species 

 grows from 2^2 to 4 feet high, with quadrangular stems. The 

 leaf-stalks support two leaflets, and extend into a branched ten- 

 dril. The flowers are in short few-flowered racemes on long 

 stalks, and are red or purplish red, and appear in July and 

 August. Native of Holland. 



Lotus corniculatus {Bird's-foot Trefoil). — There is not much 

 besides this species that is really hardy, ornamental, and per- 

 ennial in this not very extensive group of plants ; and this 

 plant, so common in all parts of Britain, is only recommended 

 here for planting on extensive rockeries where there is room 

 and some desire for large and varied collections. Under culti- 

 vation, the lively showy aspect which the plant bears in nature 

 improves much in cultivation, and it would not lose much by 



