92 LEGUMiNOSiE. [Abrus. 



the base. Stamens 9, united in a sheath open above (the 1 Oth upper one quite 

 deficient). Ovary with several ovules. Style short, curved. Pod oblong or 

 linear, flat, opening in 2 valves. Seeds several, with cellular partitions be- 

 tween them. Stems usually climbing or twining, woody at the base. Leaves 

 pinnate, of several pairs of leaflets, without any terminal one, the petiole end- 

 ing in a short point. Racemes terminal or apparently axillary, the flowers in 

 fascicles arising from thickened nodes. 



A small genus, dispersed over the tropical regions of both the New and the Old World. 

 It is in some measure intermediate between the tribes Viciea, Phaseolea, and Dalbergiece. 



1. A. precatorius, Linn.; W. and Am. Trod. Fl. Penius. i. 236. — A 

 perennial climber or twiner, often woody at the base, glabrous or slightly pu- 

 bescent. Leaflets in 7 to 10 pair, oblong-elliptical or rarely obovate, usually 

 about \ in. long. Racemes with 1 or 2 leaves, or at least a leafless pair of sti- 

 pules below the flowers, the flowering part 1 in. or rather more in length, the 

 nodes rather crowded. Flowers pink or rarely white or purple, 5 to 6 lines 

 long. Pod sessile, 1 to If in", long, 6 to 7 lines broad, almost squared at the 

 top and at the base, and attached by the inner angle, glabrous or scaly out- 

 side. Seeds usually black with a large scarlet spot, sometimes brown with a 

 darker spot, or white and unspotted. 



Hongkong, Hance. Very common in India and the Archipelago, extending into tropical 

 and southern Africa, and frequent also, but perhaps naturalized in several parts of South 

 America. 



Tribe VII. DALBERGIEAE. 



Trees, shrubs, or woody climbers. Leaves pinnate, of 5 or more, or very 

 rarely 3 or 1 leaflets. Stamens all or most of them united. Pod indehiscent. 



24. DALBERGIA, Linn. 



Calyx campanulate, 5 -toothed. Wings free, the keel-petals united in the 

 upper pair only. Stamens 10 or 9, all united in a sheath open on the upper 

 side, or into two equal parcels. Anthers small, erect, the cells opening at the 

 top. Ovary stalked, with 1 or few ovules. Pod oblong or linear, thin, flat, 

 and indehiscent, often wrinkled or thickened about the seed. Seeds 1 or rarely 

 2 to 4, large, thin, and flat in the centre of the pod. — Trees or woodv climbers. 

 Leaves pinnate, the leaflets alternate, with a terminal odd one. Flowers small, 

 in dichotomous cymes or irregular panicles. 



A considerable genus, dispersed over the tropical regions of Asia, Africa, and America. 



Leaflets 25 or more. Claws of the petals very sbort 1. D. Milletti. 



Leaflets under 12. Claws of the petals almost as long as the calyx. 

 Leaflets 5 or 7, ovate, obtuse, about 1 in. long. 



Calyx tomentose. Pod straight 2. D. rubiginosa. 



Calyx nearly glabrous. Pod falcate, thick, 1 in. long . . . . 4. D. monosperma. 

 Leaflets 9 or 11, oblong, 6 to 9 lines long. Calyx pubescent . . . 3. D. Hancei. 



1. D. Milletti, Benth. in Journ. Linn. Soc. iv. Suppl. 34. A woody 

 climber, glabrous, except a minute pubescence on the inflorescence and petioles. 

 Leaflets 25 to 35, linear-oblong, obtuse, 4 to 6 lines long. Flowers scarcely 

 2 lines long, sessile, in axillary cymes much shorter than the leaves. Calyx- 

 teeth all obtuse. Petals on very short claws, the standard almost sessile. 



