PEA AND BEAN TRIBE. 141 



ment ; but the seed-vessel retains the form of a legume. 

 All the British species, however, are decidedly papilio- 

 naceous, and the principal varieties of form in the pod 

 are ..those of the Bird's-foot and others, where it is 

 imperfectly jointed, and in Medick, where it is often 

 spirally twisted, so as to resemble a snail-shell. The 

 number of British species amounts to nearly seventy, of 

 which two species of Furze, three of Genista, and one of 

 Broom, are shrubs ; the rest are herbaceous. For con- 

 venience of reference, these are divided into groups. 



Group I. LOTE^E. The Lotus group. 



Legume not jointed ; leaves simple, of 3 leaflets, or pin- 

 nate with an odd one: 



* Leaves simple, or of 3 leaflets ; stamens all united by 

 their filaments. 



1. ULEX (Furze). Calyx of 2 sepals, with 2 minute 

 bracts at the base ; legume swollen, few-seeded, scarcely 

 longer than the calyx. (Name from the Celtic ec or ac, 

 a prickle.) 



2. GENISTA (Green-weed). Calyx 2-lipped, the upper 

 lip 2 -cleft, the lower with 3 teeth ; standard oblong ; 

 style awl-shaped ; legume swollen, or flat. (Name from 

 the Celtic gen, a shrub ; Planta Genista originated the 

 distinctive name of the Plantagenet family.) 



3. SAROTHAMNUS (Broom). Calyx 2-lipped, the upper 

 lip with 2, the lower with 3 teeth ; standard broadly 

 ovate -, style thickened upwards ; legume flat, many- 

 seeded. (Name, the Greek name of the plant.) 



4. ONONIS (Rest-harrow). Calyx 5 -cleft, its seg- 

 ments very narrow j keel beaked ; style thread-like ; 

 legume swollen, few-seeded. (Name from the Greek 

 onos, an ass, by which animal the plant is eaten.) 



** Leaves of 3 leaflets ; stamens in 2 sets of 9 and 1. 



5. MEDICAGO (Medick). Legume sickle-shaped, or 



