446 



2. SOPHORA TETRAPTERA, 



WINGED-PODDED SOPHORA 



THIS genus contains plants of the herbaceous, flowery, perennial, 

 and shrubby exotic kinds. 



It belongs to the class and order Decandria Monogynia, and ranks 

 in the natural order of Papilionacece or Leguminoste. 



The characters are: that the calyx is a one-leafed perianth, 

 short, bell-shaped, gibbous at the base above : mouth five- 

 toothed, oblique, obtuse: the corolla papilionaceous, five-petalled: 

 standard oblong, gradually wider, straight, rerlexed at the sides: 

 wings two, oblong, appendicled at the base, length of the standard : 

 keel two-petalled, with the petals conformable to the wings, the 

 lower margins approximating and boat-shaped: the stamina have 

 ten filaments, distinct, parallel, awl-shaped, length of the corolla 

 within the keel: anthers very small, rising: the pistillum is an 

 oblong germ, cylindrical: style size and situation of the stamens: 

 stigma obtuse: the pericarpium is a legume very long, slender, one- 

 celled, knobbed at the seeds: the seeds very many, roundish. 



The species cultivated are: 1. S. tetraptera, Wing-podded So- 

 phora; 2. S. microphylla, Small-leaved Shrubby Sophora; 3. S. alope- 

 curoides, Fox-tail Sophora; 4.5. australis, Blue Sophora; 5. S. tinc- 

 toria, Dyer's Sophora; 6. S. alba, White Sophora; 1. S. tomentosa, 

 Downy Sophora; Q. S. Occident alls, Occidental Sophora; 9. S. japo- 

 nica, Shining-leaved Sophora; 10. S. capensis, Vetch-leaved Sophora; 

 11. S. aurea, Golden- flowered Sophora; 12.5". myrtillifolia, Round- 

 leaved Sophora. 



The first is a magnificent tree, displaying its pendulous branches 

 of large golden flowers in May and June. It is a native of New 

 Zealand. 



