KIDNEY- VETCH. 1 5 1 



we can readily see that were the lower piece turned from 

 us instead of towards us, a similar form wouH be presented. 

 This form of bract is, in botanical parlance, said to be 

 palmate or digitate, two words of very similar significance. 

 Palma is the Latin word for the palm of the hand, while 

 digit us is a finger, and the finger-like radiation of the 

 segments from the base of the bract is sufficiently evident. 

 An old country name, suggested, doubtless, by this feature 

 of the plant, is " ladies' fingers/'' 



The flowers are crowded closely together, and are 

 numerous in each bunch. The flower is of the characteris- 

 tic pea-blossom type, and though ordinarily golden-yellow 

 in tint, it varies at times from a very pale lemon-yellow or 

 cream-colour to a dark red. The rich yellow tint is far the 

 most common and typical, and it has been noticed that 

 when the plant varies from this it is ordinarily in specimens 

 growing near the sea. When they wither the flowers turn 

 a rich reddish-brown ; this may be seen in our figure, where 

 several of the blossoms in one of the clusters have faded, 

 and assumed this tint. The calyx is very much inflated 

 about midway, and narrows rapidly above and below, so 

 that it has a cushion-like appearance an effect greatly in- 

 creased by the mass of soft grey hairs with which it is 

 closely covered. This soft grey padding is a very curious 

 and striking feature, and one that will go a long way in 

 aiding our readers to identify a doubtful specimen as being 

 truly the flower they are in search of. These delicate downy 

 calyces have been the cause of the bestowal of another 

 common name, the " lamb-toe." On close examination, 

 the five teeth at the mouth of the calyx are readily found. 

 The ten stamens are all united into one sheath, though in 

 most of the pea-flower order we find the following curious 



