DesmodiumJ] L. LEGUMINOS^. (J. GL Baker.) 175 



hidden by the large ovate deciduous bracts, finally 3-6 in. long ; pedicels in., patent, 

 finely downy. Calyx ^ in., campanula te ; teeth deltoid, shorter than the tube. 

 Corolla \ in. Pod 1-H in. long, -4 in. broad, falcate, 6-10-jointed, straight along 

 the upper, slightly indented along the lower suture. 



VAB. Roylei; end-leaflet 3-4 in. long twice as long as broad, corolla rather 

 larger. D. Koylei, W. $ A. Prodr. 227- 



rvroides 1 DQ^Prodr. ii. 326 ; branches woody, end leaflet 2-3 

 times as long- as broad, pod loosely but copiously pubescent. Wall. Cat. 5728 ; 

 W. $ A. Prodr. 227. D. pseudogyroides, Miq. Flor. Ind. Bat. i. 244. Hedy- 

 sarum gy r oides, Roxb. Hort. Beny. 57. Codariocalyx gyroides, Hassk. in Flora, 

 1842, biebl. ii. 49. 0. conicus, Hassk. in Walp. Rep. i. 744. Pseudarthria poly- 

 carpa, Hassk. PL Jav. Rar. 393 (excl. syn.). 



CENTRAL and EAST HIMALAYAS, tropical region ; GURWHAL to KHASIA and CACHAR ; 

 UPPER BENGAL, PEGU, CEYLON. DISTRIB. Malay isles. 



Closely allied to. the last, but decidedly shrubby, reaching 8-10 ft. in height. 

 Leaves obtuse, oblong or obovate-oblong. thinly or densely pubescent beneath ; side ones 

 often suppressed. Racemes shorter and the terminal ones not so copiously panicled ; 

 bracts under | in. long, narrowed suddenly at the point. Corolla f in., both standard 

 and keel broader. Pod similar, except in vestiture. 



51. ABRUS, Linn. 



Climbing shrubs. Leaves with numerous deciduous leaflets. Flowers small, 

 in dense racemes on axillary peduncles or short branches. Calyx campanulate, 

 equal ; teeth very short. Corolla much exserted ; standard ovate, acute, adhering 

 below to the stajninal tube ; wings narrow ; keel arcuate. Stamens 9, united in 

 a tube slit above, the tenth absent ; anthers uniform. Ovary subsessile,JBBiy- 

 ovuled ; style short, incurved, beardless, stigma capitate. Pod oblong or linear- 

 oblong, flat or turgid, moderately firm, thinly septate. DISTKIB. Species 5 ; 

 cosmopolitan in the tropics. 



.1. A. precatorius, Linn. ; DC. Prodr. ii. 381; branches and leaves 

 beneath glabrous or thinly silky, leaflets ligulate-oblong, pod oblong turgid 3-5- 

 seeded. Roxb. Fl. Ind. iii. 258 ; Wall. Cat. 5818 ; W. $ A. Prodr. 236 ; 

 Dak. $ Crib*. Bomb. Fl. 76. A. minor and pauciflorus, Desv. in Ann. Sc. Nat. 

 ix. 418. Rheede Hort. Mai. viii. t. 39. 



HIMALAYAS to CEYLON and SIAM, ascending to 3500 ft. DISTRIB. Cosmopolitan in 

 the tropics, often planted. 



A copiously-branched climber, with slender branches. Leaves 2-3 in. long ; 

 leaflets 20-40, membranous, deciduous, f f in. by ^ ~ in. Racemes many-flowered, 

 crowded, usually shorter than the leaves. Calyx -^ in., thinly silky. Corolla red- 

 dish or white, 3-4 times the calyx. Pod I-l|- in. by f-4 in. Seeds bright scarlet and 

 black, black, or whitish, or mixed black and white, as large as a pea. 



'2. A. pulchellus, Wall. Cat. 5819; branchlets and leaves beneath glab- 

 rous or thinly silky, leaflets ligulate-oblong, pod linear flat incurved 9-12- 

 seeded. Thwaites Enum. 91. A. laevigatus, E. Meyer ; Harv. Fl. Cap. ii. 263. 

 A. melanospermus, Hassk. ; Miq. Fl. Ind. Bat. i. 159. A. acutifolius, Blume ; 

 Miq. Fl. Ind. Bat. i. 160. 



KTTMAON to CHITTAGONG, TENASSERIM and BIRMA, ascending to 3000 ft. in SIKKIM ; 

 CEYLON. DISTRIB. Malay isles, Guinea, Natal, Kaffraria. 



General habit exactly of A. precatorius. Leaves 3-4 in. long ; leaflets 24-30, similar 

 in texture, f-lj in. by 4~f in- Racemes more numerously flowered, on longer pedun- 

 cles. Calyx and corolla similar. Pod incurved, 2-2^ in. by in., with thinner 

 smooth valves. 



