O'ROBUS VER'NUS. 



SPRING BITTER-VETCH. 

 Class. Order. 



DIADELPHIA. DECANDRIA. 



Natural Order. 



LEGUMINOSEJE. 



No. 28. 



Orobus comes from the Greek ORO, to exite ; 

 and BO us, an ox; in allusion to the utility of some 

 of the plants belonging to this genus in fattening 

 cattle. Vernus, from the Latin ver, spring, its 

 time of flowering. 



This is the Orobus venetus of Gerrarde and Par- 

 kinson, though the latter mentions it as double the 

 height of our plant. He says, * This pretty kinde 

 of pease blossome beareth diuers slender, but up- 

 right, greene branches, somewhat cornered, two 

 foote high, or thereabouts.' 



It is, indeed, a very pretty kind of pease blos- 

 som, and so early a visitor cannot fail of being wel- 

 come in our borders. Its colour varies as the flow- 

 ering advances; till, on fading, it becomes a light 

 blue ; and the gay diversity thus afforded yields a 

 pleasing effect. 



We never have seen it produce any seeds. It 

 may be divided for increase, in autumn, but its 

 deeply penetrating strong roots should not be too 

 frequently removed. A shady situation is usually 

 recommended for the Orobus vernus; we find it, 

 however, succeed in almost any soil or aspect. 

 Hort. Kew.2, v.4, 303. 



