636 FABACEAE 



bluntish, somewhat pubescent, paler beneath, the terminal leaflet rhomboid : racemes sim- 

 ple, terminal or rarely axillary, few-flowered : calyx-lobes acute, ciliate : corolla white : 

 loment 1-3-jointed or rarely 4-jointed, the joints rounded on the ventral suture, 10-12 mm. 

 long, uncinate-pubescent, the stipe slightly shorter than the pedicel. 



In woods and forests, Ontario to Ohio, Florida, Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas. Summer. 



4. Meibomia arenicola Vail. Foliage thinly pubescent or glabrate. Stems decum- 

 bent and spreading flat on the ground from a long s'tout root, striate-angled : leaves spread- 

 ing ; petioles shorter than the leaflets ; stipules subulate, persistent : basal leaves varying 

 from 1-5-foliolate ; leaflets 1-5, the blades ovate-orbicular or suborbicular, 1-2.5 cm. long, 

 leathery, reticulated beneath : racemes terminal or axillary, simple and elongated : flowers 

 slender-pedicelled : calyx-lobes acute, the upper lip triangular, minutely 2-toothed : corolla 

 purplish : loment 2-4-jointed, less sinuate above than below, the joints nearly oval, about 

 4 mm. long, uncinate-pubescent, the stipe about as long as the calyx-lobes. [Desmodium 

 lineatum (Michx. ) DC.] 



In dry sandy soil, Maryland and Virginia to Florida and Louisiana. Summer and fall. A state 

 with narrower often oblong or linear leaflets found in pine lands from Florida to Louisiana, is M. areni- 

 cola polymdrpha (A. Gray) Vail. 



5. Meibomia Michauxii Vail. Foliage soft-hirsute or glabrate. Stems branched 

 at the base, the branches prostrate from a stout spreading root, 5-10 dm. long, straight, the 

 upper portion often nearly villous : leaves spreading ; petioles about the length of the 

 leaflets ; stipules ovate-cordate, acuminate, striate, ciliate, reflexed and persistent ; leaflets 

 3, the blades 3-6 cm. long, nearly orbicular, sparingly pubescent or glabrate above, pubes- 

 cent and lighter beneath ; terminal leaflet dilated or depressed-orbicular and broader than 

 long : racemes terminal and axillary : bracts ovate, caducous : calyx-lobes ciliate, the 

 upper lip 2-toothed : corolla purplish : loment 2.5 cm. long or more, 3-5-jointed, the joints 

 slightly rounded on the dorsal, obliquely half-rhomboid on the ventral suture, uncinate- 

 pubescent throughout, the stipe as long as the calyx-lobes or a little shorter. [Desmodium 

 rotundifolium (Michx.) DC.] 



In dry rocky woods, Ontario to Minnesota, Florida and Louisiana. Summer. 



6. Meibomia . ochroleuca (M. A. Curtis) Kuntze. Stems decumbent, terete, below, 

 angled above, sparingly hirsute : leaves spreading ; stipules broadly ovate-cordate, striate, 

 reflexed, persistent ; petioles 1-4 cm. long ; leaflets 3, the blades rhombic-ovate, yellowish 

 green, 2-5 cm. long, leathery, somewhat scabrous above, reticulated beneath, terminal leaflet 

 obtuse, the lateral leaflets obliquely ovate and smaller : racemes simple, terminal and axil- 

 lary : bracts lanceolate, caducous : calyx -lobes attenuate, ciliate, the upper two mostly 

 united : corolla cream-colored or ochroleucous : loment 2-3-jointed, nearly equally sinuate 

 on both densely uncinate-pubescent sutures, the joints oval, 8-10 mm. long, twisted, reticu- 

 lated, glabrous, the stipe nearly as long as the calyx -lobes. 



In woodlands. New Jersey to Missouri, Florida and Alabama. Summer and fall. 



7. Meibomia glabe"lla (Michx. ) Kuntze. Foliage deep green. Stems procumbent 

 or rarely ascending, sometimes over 2 m. long, terete below, angled and striate above, 

 glabrous or sparingly soft-hirsute : leaves few; stipules lanceolate or ovate-lanceolate ; leaf- 

 lets 3, the blades ovate or oval, the terminal one slightly rhomboid, obtuse, glabrous or 

 sparingly pubescent above, paler beneath : racemes panicled, terminal and axillary : bracts 

 caducous : calyx-lobes attenuate, the upper two partially united, the two lateral of the lower 

 lip shorter than the middle one : corolla purple : loment 3-5-jointed, less sinuate above 

 than below, the joints 5-8 mm. long, obliquely semi-rhomboid or oval, the stipe 2-4 mm. 

 long. 



In dry sandy soil, Massachusetts to Pennsylvania and South Carolina. Summer and fall. 



8. Meibomia sessilifolia (Torr.) Kuntze. Foliage bright green. Stems erect, 3-8 

 dm. long, striate, uncinate-pubescent : leaves with sessile or very short-petioled blades ; 

 stipules linear, attenuated, caducous or rarely persisting; leaflets 3, the blades 2.5 cm. 

 long, linear or linear-oblong, obtuse at each end, thick and reticulated, scabrous or 

 glabrate above, somewhat downy or pubescent beneath : racemes terminal, simple or pan- 

 icled : bracts caducous : calyx very short-pedicelled ; lobes acute, somewhat attenuate, 

 the middle lower one longer than the triangular lateral ones, the upper lip obliquely 

 2-toothed : corolla purplish, turning greenish, 4-5 mm. broad : loment 1-3-jointed, less 

 sinuate above than below, somewhat twisted, the joints 5 mm. long or shorter, obliquely 

 half-obovate, hispid, the stipe not longer than the calyx -lobes. 



In copses, Massachusetts to Michigan, Kansas, Mississippi and Texas. Summer and fall. 



9. Meibomia stricta (Pursh) Kuntze. Foliage finely pubescent. ' Stems erect, 3-6 

 dm. high, simple, slender, minutely pubescent : leaves spreading ; stipules setaceous, cadu- 

 cous ; petioles 5-15 mm. long ; leaflets 3, the blades 2-5 cm. long, linear, obtuse, thick, 



