LEGUMINIFER^. 139 



OxYTEOPiS is distingmshed by its friiit, which, like Astragalus, is imperfectly 

 2-celled, and the partition is formed by the inflexed margin of the upper 

 suture. 



Tribe II. VICIEJE. — Leaves equally pinnate, with the rach (common 

 petiole) prolonged into a tendril (rarely ending in a short point or 

 mucro). Stamens in one or in two parcels (monadelphous or dia- 

 delphous). Legume one-celled (rarely with cellulose transverse 

 partitions). Cotyledons thick, farinaceous, remaining under ground 

 after germination. 



SYNOPSIS OF THE GENEBA. 



ViclA. — Stems angular or nearly cylhidrical. ^ij\e fiUform. 

 Lathyetts. — Stems winged or angular. Style flat, linear or dilated at the 

 apex. 



Tribe III. HEBYSAREJE. — Leaves unequally pinnate. Stamens in 

 two parcels (diadelphous) . Legume divided transversely into one- 

 seeded joints ; cotyledons aerial (germinating above ground) and 

 becoming leaf-like. 



SYNOPSIS OP THE GENEEA. 



Oenithopus. — Legume (fruit) linear, curved, ivitJi ohlong compressed joints. 



Aetheolobittm. — Legume cylindrical. 



HiPPOCEEPls. — Legume linear, sinuate, composed of crescent-shaped compressed 



joints. 

 Onobeychis. — Legume of one joint, strongly reticulate, one-seeded. 



Sub-Ti'ibe I. Geniste.^. — Stamens monadelphous (all connected). 

 Synopsis of Genera, see p. 138. 



Ulex^ Lin. — Shrubs with abortive branches (the branches are 

 spinous at their ends) and compound (branching), very sharp 

 thorns. Leaves hnear, spinous (terminating in spines) . Flowers 

 yellow, axillary, contiguous, subtended by two coloured bracts. 

 Calyx 2 -lipped, divided to the base, with a 2 -toothed upper, and 

 a 3-toothed lower lip. Petals nearly equal, scarcely longer than 

 the calyx. Stamens monadelphous. Style subulate, curved at 

 the summit. Legume (fruit) turgid, few- seeded, scarcely longer 

 than the calyx. Hilum of the seed depressed, and covered by 

 the dilated funicle (the medium which attaches the seed to the 

 placenta) . 



U. europseus, Lin. Common Furze or Whin. — e.b. 742. 

 L.B.s. 249. 



A. 17. C. 80. Lat. 50-59°. Alt. 0-700 yds. Tern. 52-42°. 



Stem much branched, with pale whitish bark, 4-6 feet high. 

 Leaves (only on young or seedling plants) lanceolate, hairy, and 



