500 LEGUMINOSAE (PULSE FAMILY) 



sepals inferior (i.e. next the bract); one of the petals superior (i.e. next the 

 axis of the inflorescence). A very large family. 



SUBFAMILY I. MIMOSOfDEAE 



Flowers regular, small. Corolla valvate in aestivation, often united into a 

 4-5-lobed cup, hypogynous, as are the (often very numerous) exserted stamens. 

 Embryo straight. Leaves twice pinnate. 



* Stamens numerous. 



1. Acacia. Filaments distinct. Pod and stein (in ours) unarmed. 



2. Abizzia. Filaments united Into a tube at base. Unarmed shrubs or trees. 



* * Stamens 5-10. 



3. Desmanthus. Petals distinct. Stamens 5 or 10. Pods smooth, flat. Herbaceous or nearly 



so. 



4. Schrankia. Petals united below into a cup. Stamens 8 or 10. Pod covered with small 



prickles or rough projections. 



SUBFAMILY II. CAESALPINIOfDEAE 



Corolla imperfectly or not at all papilionaceous, sometimes nearly regular, 

 imbricated in the bud, the upper or odd petal inside and inclosed by the others. 

 Stamens 10 or fewer, commonly distinct, inserted on the calyx. Seeds anatro- 

 pous, often with albumen. Embryo straight. 



* Flowers not at all papilionaceous, polygamous or dioecious ; trees. 



5. Gymnocladus. Unarmed. Leaves doubly pinnate. Calyx-tube elongated, at its summit 



bearing 5 petals resembling the calyx-lobes. Stamens 10. 



6. Gleditsia. Thorny. Leaves simply and doubly pinnate. Calyx-tube short; its lobes, 



as well as the petals and stamens, 3-5. 



* * Flowers not at all papilionaceous, perfect ; calyx 5-parted ; herbs. 



7. Cassia. Leaves simply and f.bmptly pinnate. 



* * * Flowers imperfectly papilionaceous, perfect ; trees. 



8. Cercis. Calyx campanulate, 5-toothed. Pod flat, wing-margined. Leaves simple. 



SUBFAMILY HI. PAPILIONOfDEAE 



Calyx of 5 sepals, more or less united, often unequally so. Corolla inserted 

 into the base of the calyx, of 5 irregular petals (or very rarely fewer), more 

 or less distinctly papilionaceous, i.e. with the upper or odd petal (vexillum or 

 standard) larger than the others and inclosing them in the bud. usually turned 

 backward or spreading ; the two lateral ones (icings) oblique and exterior to 

 the two lower, which last are connivent and commonly more or less coherent 

 by their anterior edges, forming the carina or keel, which usually incloses the 

 stamens and pistil. Stamens 10, very rarely 5, inserted with the corolla, mona- 

 delphous, diadelphous (mostly with 9 united into a tube which is cleft on the 

 upper side, and the tenth or upper one separate), or occasionally distinct. 

 Ovary 1-celled, sometimes 2-celled by an intrusion of one of the sutures, or 

 transversely 2-many-celled by cross-division into joints ; style simple ; ovules 

 amphitropous, rarely anatropous. Cotyledons large, thick or thickish ; radicle 

 incurved. Leaves simple or simply compound, the earliest ones in germina- 

 tion usually opposite, the rest alternate ; leaflets almost always quite entire. 

 Flowers perfect. 



