Smithia.1 LEGUMINOSAE. 327 



18. TaYerniera, DC. 



Much-branched under shrubs. Leaves 1- or pinna tely 3-f olio- 

 late ; leaflets usually obovate or orbicular ; stipules scarious, 

 sheathing, opposite the leaves. Flowers white or rose, in lax 

 axillary racemes ; bracts minute, deciduous ; bracteoles 2, at the 

 base of the calyx. Calyx-tiibe campanulate, teeth 5, subbilabiate, 

 subequal. Corolla much exserted, scarious and persistent; 

 standard obovate, shortly clawed ; wings oblong, much smaller 

 than the standard; keel petals about equal to the standard, 

 obliquely truncate at apex, clawed. Stamens diadelphous, 9 and 

 1 ; the vexillary one connate with the others at the middle at first, 

 afterwards free; anthers uniform. Ovary stalked, 1-2-ovuled; 

 style filiform, inflexed ; stigma small, terminal. Pod flattened, 

 compressed, of 1-3 joints usually echinate and transversely 

 ridged. 



TAVERNIERA CUNEIFOLIA, Arn. in Wt. Ic. t. 1055. T. num- 



mularia, Baker in F. B. I. ii. 140 not o/DC. 

 Deccan, in Kurnool and Bellary (Beddoine). 

 A much-branched undershrub with terete hoary branches, 

 3- or 1-foliolate leaves, persistent scarious corolla and 

 glabrous echinate 1-2 -jointed pod. 



19. Smithia, Ait. 



Herbs or uiidershrubs. Leaves pariphmate, rarely iinpari- 

 pinnate, the rhachis usually ending in a bristle ; leaflets small, 

 sensitive, without stipels ; stipules scarious, persistent, usually 

 produced below the insertion (in Asiatic species). Flowtrs 

 yellow or blue, in axillary often unilateral racemes, sometimes 

 collected in terminal heads or panicles ; bracts and bracteoles 

 scarious or membranous, persistent. Calyx deeply 2-lipped, the 

 upper entire or emarginate, the lower entire or 3-toothed. 

 Corolla exserted ; standard suborbicular, cuneate at base ; wings 

 obliquely oblong, clawed and auricled ; keel petals obtuse, 

 incurved, clawed. Stamens diadelphous in 2 bundles of 5 each ; 

 anthers uniform. Ovary sessile or stalked, many-ovuled ; style 

 filiform ; stigma small, terminal. Fruit a lonientum of flattened 

 or turgid 1-seeded orbicular joints, folded together inside the 

 calyx. Seeds reniform, strophiole 0. 



