298 LYSIDICE. 
the reverse of eC soft and membranaceous." The adjective "weedy" 
seems to me to have a somewhat different meaning. From the situa- 
tion of many of these plants in rich manured soil, and amongst other 
and taller plants, they acquire a luxuriant and rapid growth and a 
straggling habit ; and, I think, it is these characters especially that are 
implied in the term, according to the old proverb, " 111 weeds grow 
apace."* 
In thus advocating the old and fairly well understood use of the word, 
I would record my sense of the value of Dr. Seemann's observations as 
applied to naturalized plants, which, like any others, may or may not 
be weeds. 
LYSIDICE, 
GENUS NOVUM LATHYRACEUM, EX CiESALPINIEARUM subordine, 
Proponit Henu. F. Hance, Ph.D., etc. 
Calyx basi bibracteolatus, coloratus, infundibularis, tubo carnosulo ; 
limbi 4-partiti laciniis symptyxif imbricata obtusiusculis, postica 
paululum majore, sub anthesi reflexis. Corollse petala tria, calyce 
paulo breviora ejusque fauci inserta, uno ejusdem lacinise posticse 
opposito, duobus inter earn et laterales sitis, omnibus sequahbus, 
lamina obovata obtusa longe unguiculata. Stamina 6, annulo calycis 
faucem vestiente inserta, filamentis basi in annulum brevem concretis; 
duobus minutis inter petala lateralia ac posticum sitis, eorumque 
unguibus triplo brevioribus, antheras abortivas gerentibus, in alabastro 
rectis ; duobus petalis duplo longioribus, sepalis lateralibus oppositis, 
fertilibus, ptyxif inclinativo-plicata, filamentis deorsum dilatatis, an- 
theris magnis ovoideis longitudinaliter dehiscentibus ; duobus stenli- 
* I know nothing of philology, but suppose that there is something to be 
said for the view winch connects " weed " and the Anglo-Saxon " wedd. Afifl 
latter word appears to be equivalent to the Latin " vestis," " vesti merit uin, 
and to mean clothing for man, as well as the green covering of the earth. JJ 
. iil^x — l -> *„ . R • .__ ^ —^j ow , s weeds. 
weod * in the 
now we use the term 
In Matt. vi. 30, X opros rov aypov, tc grass of the field," is " seceres weod in w* 
Anglo-Saxon version ; and Spenser uses our word * weeds" to express grass 
and brushwood of any and various kinds. 
t Vocabula cestivatio, foliaiio, vernatio, etsi a Schleidenio solito acur f 1 ^ 
strictius limitata, tamen a plerisque botanicis adeo confusa ac *°^ tt ? 
fuerunt, ut termini quibus usus sum, ab ill. All. Braunio propositi, a cl. ta - 
paryo alijgque adliibiti, mihi nmlto magis,— utpote felicisflimc concepti, atq 
significationem prima f route exprimentes, — arridcnt. 
