82 DLADELPHIA. 



stem hispid, or beset with bristles ; flowers in axillary ra 

 cemes. This is an elegant shrub. 



GENUS Caragana. Siberian Pear tree. Name from Ca- 

 rachana, the appellation of this tree in Tartary. This spe- 

 cies was formerly confounded with Robinia. Most of the 

 species came originally from Siberia, where they only attain 

 the size of shrubs, from one to six or eight feet high. The 

 Caragana Spinosa, or thorny species, is beset with strong 

 sharp thorns, several inches long, and is admirably adapted 

 to form impenetrable hedges. About Pekin, Professor Pallas 

 says, they stick limbs of this species in clay, on the tops of 

 their walls, to prevent persons from getting over. 



GENUS Hedysarum. Name, from hedus, sweet, and aroma, 

 smell, because some species have a fragrant smell. This is 

 a numerous genus, not remarkable for beauty, but containing 

 several useful species, and that curious plant, the turning He- 

 dysarum, (Hedysarum gyrans,) or the Moving Plant. This is 

 a native of Bengal, and as Linnaeus observes, a very wonder- 

 ful plant on account of its voluntary motion, which is not oc- 

 casioned by any touch or irritation, as in the Mimosa, (Sen- 

 sitive Plant.) No sooner, continues Linnaeus, had the plants 

 raised from seed acquired their ternate leaves, than they be- 

 gan to be in motion, this way and that ; this movement did 

 not cease during the whole course of their vegetation, nor 

 were they observant of any time, order, or direction ; one 

 leaflet frequently revolved, whilst the other on the same peti- 

 ole was quiescent ; the whole plant was very seldom agi- 

 tated, and that only during the first year ; but sometimes most 

 of the leaflets would be in motion at the same time. This 

 motion does not depend on any external cause, as no artifi- 

 cial circumstance, such as touching, heat, cold, darkness, or 

 light, will excite it, or prevent its continuance. 



Fig. 189. 



The Moving Plant, Fig. 189, grows 

 three feet high, and is an evergreen 

 herbaceous shrub ; flower purple ; 

 leaves ternate, or growing by threes 

 on a foot stalk, (see figure,) the lateral 

 ones small. 



Wat description is given of the Hedysarum gyrans ? 



