204 Leguminosae 



1. P. demissa (Nutt.) Walp. Shrub, 1-4 m. high; leaves 

 ovate or oblong-ovate, acute or acuminate, rounded or cordate at 

 base, sharply serrate, more or less pubescent beneath, 5-10 cm. 

 long, with 1 or 2 glands at the base of the blade; racemes 5, 

 terminal, 7-10 cm. long, many-flowered; drupe globose, red or 

 purple, astringent; stone globose. 



Occasional in the San Bernardino and San Antonio Mountains in the 

 upper portions of the chaparral belt and in the pine belt. 



2. P. ilicifolia (Nutt.) Walp. Shrubby or arborescent, 3-6 m. 

 high, bark grayish brown; leaves coriaceous, glossy above, gla- 

 brous throughout, ovate to ovate-lanceolate, coarsely spinose- 

 toothed, 2.5-5 cm. long, on short petioles; racemes axillary, 2.5-5 

 cm. long, leafless ; flowers small ; drupe 1 cm. long or more, thick, 

 slightly obcompressed, sweetish, scarcely astringent. 



Common in the chaparral belt. May-June. 



Family 42. LEGUMINOSAE. PULSE FAMILY. 



Herbs, shrubs or trees with alternate stipulate com- 

 pound or rarely entire leaves and irregular or regular 

 flowers. Leaflets mostly entire, the upper somtimes 

 converted into tendrils. Calyx 4-5-lobed or 4-5-cleft, 

 its tube exceeding the perigynous disk, which bears the 

 petals and stamens. Petals 4-5, regular, with numerous 

 stamens or more commonly 5 and irregular ; the stand- 

 ard superior larger and external, covering in the bud 

 the 2 lateral ones (wings), these covering the 2 infer- 

 ior pair which are more or less united above, forming 

 the keel. Stamens and pistils enclosed in the keel. Fila- 

 ments 10, 9 commonly united below into a sheath about 

 the pistil and 1 distinct (diadelphous) , or all united 

 (monadelphous) , or distinct ; anthers 2-celled, dehiscent 

 longitudinally. Pistil simple, free, becoming a legume 

 in fruit ; ovules few or many on the single parietal 

 placenta ; style usually incurved. Legume 1-celled, 

 2-valved, sometimes falsely 2-celled by the intrusion of 

 the placenta. Endosperm usually wanting. 



