LEGUMINOSAE 69 



Partridge Pea. Sensitive Pea. Magothy-Bay Bean. 



Stem 1 to 2 feet high, firm and subligneous at base, much branched, often pur- 

 plish. Leaflets half an inch to near an inch long, minutely ciliate-serrulate, sub- 

 sessile; common petioles about one-third of an inch in length below the leaflets, 

 with a depressed or cup-like gland on the upper side. Flowers deep bright yel- 

 low (usually with purple spots at base), in lateral subsessile fascicles above the 

 axils of the leaves, often in pairs, sometimes 3 or 4. Legumes about 2 inches 

 long, hairy along the sutures. 

 Hob. Hills, near Pugh-town : rare. Fl. July. Fr. Sept. 



Obs. In a paper, read before the American Philosophical Society, 

 May 2, 1788, and published in the 3rd volume of their Transactions, 

 Dr. GEEENWAY, of Virginia, speaks favorably of this plant as a 

 means of recruiting worn out lands, by its decomposition in the 

 soil, though he considers the common corn-field Pea as preferable ; 

 and I have no doubt that the red Clover (Trifolium pratense), properly 

 managed, is more eligible than either. 



3. C. n ic titans, L. Stem oblique or procumbent ; leaflets 6 to 

 20 pairs, sublinear ; flowers small ; stamens 5, nearly equal. 

 TWINKLING CASSIA. Wild Sensitive-Plant. 



Stem 6 to 12 or 15 inches long, slender, branching, roughish-pubescent. Leaflets 

 about half an inch long, slightly irritable ; common petioles about % of an inch in 

 length below the leaflets. Racemes 2- or 3-flowered, subsessile, rather super-axil- 

 lary ; flowers yellow, inconspicuous. Legumes an inch or inch and half long, hir- 

 sute with appressed hairs. 

 Hob. Sandy banks; road sides, &c.: frequent. Fl. Aug. Fr. Octo. 



108. GYMtf OC'I^ADIJS, Lam. 



[Gr. Gymnos, naked, and Klados, a branch ; in reference to its stout naked branches.] 

 Flowers dioicous, regular : Calyx tubular, 5-cleft. Petals 5, equal, 

 oblong, inserted on the calyx-tube. Stamens 10. Legume oblong, 

 flat, the valves thick and woody, pulpy within. A Tree, with the 

 young branches clumsily thick: leaves odd-bipinnate, widely branched. 



1. G. CANAD^NSIS, Lam. Leaflets 7 to 13 on the subdivisions, ovate, 

 petiolulate, the lowest a single pair ; flowers in axillary racemes. 

 CANADIAN GYMNOCLADUS. Coffee-tree. Kentucky Mahogany. 



Stem 50 to 70 or 80 feet high, branching. Leaves 2 or 3 feet long, bipinnately 

 branching; leaflets rather alternate, entire, about 3 inches in length. Flowers 

 greenish white. Legumes 6 or 8 inches long, and 1 or 2 inches wide, somewhat 

 falcate ; seeds large, a little compressed, nearly orbicular. 

 Hob. Yards, and streets. Fl, May. Fr. Octo. 



Obs. This fine tree has been introduced from the West ; and al- 

 though not equal to some others, as a shade tree, is worthy of a 

 place in all ornamental plantations. It was for a considerable time 

 supposed to be identical with, or nearly allied to, the Bonduc, or 

 Nickar-tree (Guilandina Bonduc, L.}, of the Indies. 



109. GUEDIT'SCMIA, L, 



[Named in honor of John Gotttob Gleditsch, a German Botanist.] 

 Flowers polygamous : sepals 3 to 5, united at base. Petals and sta- 

 mens usually as many as the sepals. Legume flat, broad, often 

 intercepted between the seeds ; seeds oval. A thorny tree ; leaves even- 

 pinnate, or bipinnate. 



