638 FABACEAE 



equally sinuate above and below, the joints 8-10 mm. long, reticulated, appearing almost 

 lozenge-shaped, the stipe about the length of the calyx-lobes. 



On plains and prairies, Illinois to Alabama and Louisiana. Spring and fall. 



15. Meibomia bractiosa (Michx. ) Kuntze. Stems erect, glabrous or nearly so, 1 m. 

 high or higher, branched, angled : leaves large ; stipules 8-15 mm. long, lanceolate, cus- 

 pidate, somewhat cordate at the base, caducous ; petioles 3-8 cm. long, flat and channeled ; 

 stipels conspicuous, setaceous, 5-15 mm. long, mostly persistent ; leaflets 3, the blades 

 ovate or ovate-lanceolate, 0.5-1.5 dm. long, cuspidate or long-acuminate, glabrous or nearly 

 so, paler and often glaucous beneath : panicles spreading, the upper part minutely pubes- 

 cent : bracts striate, cuspidate, glabrous, caducous : flowers numerous : pedicels slender, 

 spreading : upper calyx-lip 2-toothed : corolla lilac-purple, showy, about 1 cm. long : 

 lornent 2.5-5 cm. long, rather broad at the joints, 3-7-jointed, the joints about 1 cm. 

 long, straight or slightly rounded on the dorsal and half -rhombic on the ventral suture, 

 reticulated, the stipe about the length of the lower calyx-lip. 



In thickets, Ontario to Michigan, Florida, Missouri and Texas. Summer and fall. 



16. Meibomia paniculata ( L. ) Kuntze. Stems slender, erect, 5-10 dm. high, panic- 

 ulately branched, nearly glabrous: stipules small, setaceous, caducous: petioles 1-3.5 

 cm. long ; leaflets 3, the blades 3-5 cm. long, oblong-lanceolate, oval or linear-lanceolate, 

 obtuse, rarely acutish, glabrous or rarely minutely pubescent, paler beneath : racemes 

 panicled, the branches spreading : bracts caducous : calyx-lobes attenuate, the upper lip 

 deeply 2-toothed, the middle lower lobe much elongated : corolla purplish, turning green, 

 5-6 mm. long : loment 2.5 cm. long or longer, mostly angled on the dorsal suture, the joints 

 5-8 mm. long, obliquely triangular or half-rhombic, minutely pubescent, the stipe as long 

 as the calyx-lobes. 



In copses, Ontario to Nebraska, Florida, Louisiana and Texas. Summer and fall. A slender form 

 with narrow more acute leaflets 5-8 mm. wide, is M. paniculata Chapmdnii Britton, while the form with 

 copiously puberulent stems and firm oblong-lanceolate leaflets pubescent beneath, and loments more 

 strongly angled on the dorsal suture, is M. paniculata pfibcne (T. <x G.) Vail. 



17. Meibomia laevigata (Nutt.) Kuntze. Stems terete, erect, 8-12 dm. high, 

 glabrous or minutely uncinate-pubescent above, often glaucous : stipules subulate, cadu- 

 cous : petioles 2.5-8 cm. long : leaflets 3, the blades 4-11 cm. long, ovate or ovate-oblong, 

 acutish or obtuse, sometimes mucronulate, paler beneath, the terminal leaflet sometimes 

 rhomboid : racemes panicled, the branches spreading : bracts very small, caducous : upper 

 calyx-lip entire or minutely 2-toothed : corolla blue-purple, 7-9 mm. long : loment 3-6- 

 or rarely 8-jointed, 2-3 cm. long or longer, straight or somewhat angled on the dorsal suture ; 

 the joints 6-7 mm. long, half-rhombic, the stipe mostly as long as the lower joint. 



In pine lands, New Jersey to Missouri, Florida, Louisiana and Texas. Summer and fall. 



18. Meibomia rhombifolia (Ell.) Vail. Stems rigid, erect or ascending, 6-10 dm. 

 high, simple or branched, pubescent : basal leaves (in the case of small plants, or rarely all 

 the leaves) 1-foliolate : stipules 5-10 mm. long, subulate, taper-pointed, persistent or cadu- 

 cous ; petioles 1-4 cm. long ; leaflets 3, the blades 5-9 cm. long, ovate or ovate-lanceolate, 

 sometimes truncate at the base, obtuse or acutish, often mucronulate, leathery, scabrous 

 above, pubescent or densely villous and strongly reticulated beneath : racemes simple or 

 panicled, mostly elongated, leafless : bracts minute, setaceous, caducous : calyx-lobes acute, 

 the upper lip 2-toothed : corolla purple, 6-8 mm. long : loment 1-3 cm. long, 2-5-jointed, 

 somewhat twisted, the joints about 7 mm. long, obliquely half-rhomboid, slightly rounded 

 or obscurely angled on the dorsal suture, the stipe often half as long as the joint. 



In pine lands, Virginia to Florida, Alabama and Louisiana. Spring to fall. 



19. Meibomia vhidiflora (L. ) Kuntze. Stems erect, 6-10 dm. high, terete, mostly 

 downy : stipules lanceolate, attenuated, when persistent, spreading or reflexed : petioles 1-3 

 cm. long : leaflets 3, the blades 4-9 cm. long, scabrous above, villous or tomentose beneath, 

 the terminal leaflet ovate or ovate-oblong, often rhomboid, not truncate, the others oblong : 

 racemes panicled, the branches spreading: bracts 2-3 mm. long, broadly ovate, cordate, cadu- 

 cous : calyx hirsute, the upper lip triangular, minutely 2-toothed, the lower lip the longer : 

 corolla pale purple, turning green, 6-9 mm. long : loment 1-2 cm. long, 2-4-jointed, the 

 joints about 5 mm. long, half-rhombic, straightish or obtusely angled on the dorsal suture, 

 uncinate-pubescent, the stipe not quite the length of the lower joint. 



In woods, southern New York to Michigan, Missouri, Florida and Texas. Summer and fall. 



20. Meibomia Dillenii (Darl. ) Kuntze. Stems erect, 6 dm. high, sulcate, glabrous 

 or sparingly pubescent : stipules subulate, mostly caducous : petioles 2.5-5 cm. long : leaf- 

 lets 3, the blades 4-10 cm. long, oblong or ovate-oblong, mostly obtuse, sometimes mucronu- 

 late, often very thin, scabrous or with a few scattered ^soft hairs above, appressed-pubescent 

 or softly hirsute beneath, the terminal leaflet larger than the lateral ones : racemes pan- 

 icled, the branches spreading: bracts small, caducous: upper calyx-lip entire or minutely 



