643 



with a description of the plant and some observations of 

 its morphological and biological peculiarities mainly 

 quoted from the same author's earlier paper together with a 

 list of vernacular names. 



"'Two years ago I called attention to an important 

 botanical discovery by Dr. Kersting, who , in the northern 

 territory of Sokode-Bassari , Togoland, came across an 

 especially interesting new kind of bean which matured its 

 pods below, instead of above ground. The well-known ground 

 nut (Arachis hypogaea), and the peanut (Voandzeia subter- 

 ranea) , are similar instances. Kersting found that the 

 natives of Togoland cultivated the bean, which they called 

 Kandela in three varieties distinguished by their colors. 

 I described this bean which is not known in the wild state, 

 as Kerstingi ella geocarpa, the type of a new genus of 

 Leguminosae . 



"'In July, 1910, Aug. Chevalier, the indefatigable 

 African explorer, reported the existence in Dahomey of a 

 plant which, to judge from the description, was very 

 similar to, if not identical with, Kersting's bean. He 

 named it Voandzeia poissoni, a new species of the genus of 

 the peanut, giving the Dahomey name as 'Doi'. the beans 

 are sold in the market of Abomey by the natives, who grow 

 them largely. There v/ere also here color varieties (white, 

 black, or red and mottled). An account may be found in 

 Quinzaine Coloniale, 1910, No. 16, p. 590. Chevalier's 

 description suggested at once the identity of the Dahomey 

 and the Togo bean. M. Chevalier was, on his return from 

 Africa, good enough to send me a specimen of his Dahomey 

 plant whilst I supplied him with material from Togoland ana 

 our comparisons proved that the two beans were actually 

 identical, or in other words that the Togo bean extended 

 into Dahomey and M. Chevalier has already stated (Compt. 

 Rend. 1910, p. 1574) that he too considers his species as 

 identical with Kerstingiella geocarpa. He gives an impor- 

 tant account of its distribution in Dahomey, quoting vari- 

 ous vernacular names. The species is also said to occur in 

 British Nigeria, but up to the present I have seen no 

 specimen from there. In Togo as well as in Dahomey the 

 plant is known only in the cultivated state, which renders 

 Kersting's and Chevalier's discoveries the more remarkable. 



"'Chevalier gives analyses (I.e. p. 1375) which show 

 that the nutritious value of the beans is very consider- 

 able. They are said to equal the richest peanuts in nitro- 

 genous matter, whilst they have at the same time a more 

 pleasant taste, particularly for Europeans, recalling that 

 of the finest varieties of beans. The yield, owing to the 

 smallness of the seeds (8-10 mm. by 6-7 mm.), is not large. 



