LEGUMINOSAE. 
This, the second largest plant family—being only exceeded by the Composite 
family—consists of nearly 450 genera, with over 7000 species, and is of much 
greater economic importance than the latter. 
The Leguminosae family is distributed all over the world, and is only absent 
from the very remote islands of the Antarctic, though only sparingly repre- 
sented in New Zealand. 
In regard to the sub-families, the Mimosoideae are entirely absent in Europe, 
while the Papilionatae are to be found in the Arctic as well as high Alpine re- 
gions of both hemispheres. 
The family is represented in the Hawaiian Islands by 25 genera, only four 
of which, however, have arborescent species. 
KEY TO THE GENERA, 
SUB-FAM. MIMOSOIDEAE. 
Leaves twice pinnate; flowers in heads or spik : 
Stamens indefinite; leaves mostly replaced by: dilated petioles. . 1. Acacia 
SUB-FAM. er 
Leaves eto pinna 
Pod-winged one the upper suture, calyx very oblique........ 2, Mezoneurum 
SUB-FAM, PAPILIONATAE, 
Leaves So . arenas 
A ed 
ed RE ODay a eM rate ee ge eee at, 3. Sophora 
4, Erythrina 
ACACIA Willd. 
owers sa gig or polygamous; calyx ides carat: toothed or petals free or 
united; stamens numerous, free or united at the base; ovary essile or raised, two to many 
ovuled. gume oval, oblong or linear, straight or curved, ‘flat or convex, ’membraneous, 
coriaceous, Ronit ent. ge med or tho orny trees or shrubs. Leaves bi-pinnate, or re- 
duced to a phyll adi um or lated petiole Flowers small, numerous, mostly yellow in 
globular heads or eylindri eal ice 
The genus consists of about 450 species, which are distributed over the tropical 
and subtropical regions of both worlds, being especially numerous in Africa 
and Australia. In these islands only three species are represented; one is 
doubtful (Acacia Kauaiensis, Hbd.) 
KEY TO THE SPECIES. 
Phyllodia instead of true leaves: 
Pod flat, broad gue oo Peel eke wr aa eed ORE are Cones A. Koa 
Pod narrow and curved. .... 0.00.60. 000 cers ccs ceeetee nes tereeres A. Koaia 
Acacia Koa Gray. 
Koa or Koa ka. 
(Plates 65, 66, 67, 68.) 
sour KOA Gray Bot. U. 8. E. E. (1854) 480;—H. Mann cad. VII (1866) 
Pe n Fi, elise Isl. (1867) 235; ’ Wawra in ‘Were “air, 141;—Hbd., FI. 
ae Isl. wer 88) 1 12;—Del Cast. Ill. Fl. Ins, Mar. Pace. VI (1890) 160;—Engl. 
& Prantl Pfizfam. III. 3 (1894) 110;—Heller Pl. Haw. sl. (1897) $30.—Acacia 
oe ylla Hook. et Arn. Voy. Bot. Be he (1822) 81;—Benth. Mimos. in Hook. 
ond, Journ. Bot. I. (1839) 368. 
173 
