PULSE FAMILY. 129 



20. SESBANIA. (Arabic: Sesban, a little altered.) Flowers late 

 summer. 



S. macrocarpa, Muhl. Tall, smooth; leaflets linear-oblong; flowers 

 few, on a peduncle shorter than the leaves, corolla yellow with some red- 

 dish or purple ; pods linear, narrow, hanging, 8'-12' long ; seeds many. 

 Swamps S. 



S. vesicaria, Ell. Resembles the preceding in foliage and small, yellow 

 flowers, but has a broadly oblong turgid pod, only I' or 2' long, pointed, 

 raised above the calyx on a slender stalk, 2-seeded, the seeds remaining 

 inclosed in the bladdery white lining of the pod when the outer valves 

 have fallen. @ Low grounds S. 



S. grandiflbra, Poir. A shrub or tree-like plant of India, run wild 

 in Florida, occasionally cult, for ornament S. ; flowers 3'-4' long, white or 

 red ; pods slender, hanging, 1 or so long. 



21. INDIGOFERA, INDIGO PLANT. (Name means producer of 



indigo.} 



I. t/nctor/a, Linn. This and the next furnish much of the indigo of 

 commerce, were cult, for that purpose S., and have run wild in waste 

 places ; woody at base, with 7-15 oval leaflets, racemes shorter than 

 the leaves, the deflexed knobby terete pods curved and several-seeded. 



/. An/I, Linn. Differs mainly in its flattish and even pods thickened at 

 both edges. 



22. ONOBRYCHIS, SAINFOIN. (Greek : asses' food.} 



0. satlva, Lam. COMMOX S. Sparingly cult, from Europe as a fodder 

 plant ; herb l-2 high ; leaflets numerous, oblong, small ; stipules brown, 

 thin, pointed ; spikes of light pink flowers on long axillary peduncles, in 

 summer ; pod semicircular bordered with short prickles or teeth. 2/ 



23. ASTRAGALUS, MILK VETCH. (Greek: application uncer- 

 tain.) Very many native species west of the Mississippi. 2/ 



* Pod turgid, completely or partially ^-celled by the intrusion of the dorsal 

 suture. 



- Pod plum-shaped, becoming thick and fleshy, indehiscent. 



A. caryocrpus, Ker. GROUND PLUMS. Minutely appressed-pubes- 

 cent ; leaflets narrow, oblong ; short racemes or spikes of violet- purple 

 flowers in spring ; fruit of the size and shape of a small plum, but more 

 or less pointed, fleshy, becoming dry .and corky, very thick-walled. Com- 

 mon along the Upper Mississippi and W. and S. on the plains. 



A. Mexicanus, DC. Smooth or with looser hairs ; leaflets roundish or 

 oblong ; corolla cream-color, bluish only at tip ; fruit globular, pointless. 

 Prairies, 111. to Kan. and S. 



i- - Pod dry, coriaceous, cartilaginous, or membranous, dehiscent. 

 n-f Pod completely 2-celled. 



A. molllssimus, Torr. Stout, decumbent, densely silky, villous 

 throughout and tomentose ; flowers violet ; pod sulcate at both sutures. 

 Neb. to Kan. and Tex. A "loco" weed. 



A. Canad^nsis, Linn. Tall, erect, l-4 high, slightly pubescent; 

 flowers greenish cream-colored, in summer ; pods oblong, terete, scarcely 

 sulcate. River banks, common. 



A. glaber, Michx. Pine barrens, N. C. to Fla. ; tall, nearly smooth ; 

 leaflets 1 5-25, oblong-linear, pubescent beneath ; spikes loose, longer than 

 the leaves, with white flowers ; pod oblong and curved, flattened edgewise. 



GRAY^ F. F. & G. DOT. 9 



