LEGUMINOS.^. IC9 



the leaves, terminating in short spikes of yellow flowers, shaded 

 slightly with purple. The plant varies somewhat in the colour 

 of the flowers and other minor particulars, and some of the 

 varieties have been set up as species. The more reu.arkable 

 of these are Q. c. var. caridea, syn. O. ccendea, having blue 

 flowers ; and O. c. var. sordida, syn. O. sordida, in which the 

 keel bears a blackish spot, and the standard is more distinctly 

 tinged with purple than the type. Flowers in July and August. 



0. montana {Moiuitaiii O.) — This species is rare in cultiva- 

 tion. Like the last, it is all but stemless. The leaves are com- 

 posed of twenty or more leaflets, broadly lance-shaped, and 

 clothed with long silky hairs. The heads or short racemes of 

 flowers are borne erect, are purple or pink, and appear about 

 the same time as the last. Native of mountain pastures in 

 Austria and other parts of central Europe. 



0. uralensis {Silky O.) — This is the handsomest plant of 

 the three. It is very similar in habit and stature to the pre- 

 ceding. The leaflets are broadly lance-shaped and densely 

 clothed with close-lying silky hairs. The racemes are more 

 numerously flowered than either of the other two, and the 

 flowers are bright purple, spreading horizontally from the 

 stalk ; they appear in May, and last about two months. Native 

 of the Tyrol, Pyrenees, and Carniola ; found also on some of 

 the Scotch mountains. 



Phaca {Bastard Vetch). — This genus is nearly related to the 

 last and to Astragalus, and the species are sometimes in cata- 

 logues mixed up together. The species of this are adapted to 

 the same purposes, and require the same treatment, as that 

 described for Oxytropis and the smaller Astragaluses. 



P. astragalina {Astragalus-like Bastard Vetch). — This is per- 

 haps the most vigorous of the species selected. The stems 

 are short but branching freely, bent earthwards at first, but 

 rising obliquely afterwards. The leaves are composed of six- 

 teen or more egg-shaped leaflets, clothed above and below with 

 close-lying hairs. The flowers are produced in short loose 

 racemes ; the keel deep violet, and the standard paler, or, as 

 the plant is somewhat variable, in some individuals it is white. 

 They appear in June and July. Inhabits upland pastures on 

 the Alps and Pyrenees. 



P. australis {Southei-n Bastard Vetch). — This is rather a pros- 

 trate species, rarely exceeding 9 inches high, forming tufted 

 masses of branched stems. The leaves are composed of twelve 

 or more narrow lance-shaped leaflets. The flowers are produced 

 in close short racemes ; the keel dark blue, the standard white 

 or pale yellow ; and appear in June, July, and August. Native 



