348 FLORA OF MADRAS. [Desmodium. 



23. DESMODIUM PARVIFOLIUM, DC. ; F. B. I. ii. 174 ; W. & A. 

 229. 



W. Ghats, in the Nilgiri and Pulney Hills, usually above 



5,000 ft., in grass and on banks. 



A pretty densely caespitose trailer with blue or pink 



flowers. 



24. DESMODIUM GYRANS, DC. ; F. B. I. ii. 174 ; W. & A. 227 ; 

 Wt. Ic. t. 294. 



N. Circars, Deccan and Hills of Carnatic, also W. Ghats, 

 up to about 3,000 ft., in grass lands and forest under- 

 growth, widespread, but nowhere very common. The 

 Semaphore plant. 



An erect undershrub with pink flowers, reaching 3-4 ft. in 

 height : the gyrating side leaflets are sometimes absent. 



31. Yicia, Linn. 



Annual or 'perennial herbs. Leaves paripinnate, the rhachis 

 ending in a twisted tendril ; stipules semisagittate ; stipels 0. 

 Flowers subsessile or in peduncled axillary racemes ; bracts 

 small, caducous ; bracteoles 0. Calyx-tube campanulate ; teeth 

 long, often unequal. Corolla more or less exserted; standard 

 obovate, emarginate, with a broad claw ; wings oblong, oblique 

 adnate in their middle to the shorter keel. Stamens diadelphous, 

 i) and 1, the vexillary one sometimes slightly connate with the 

 rest. Ovary nearly sessile, 2-many-ovuled ; style inflexed, usually 

 with a dorsal tuft of hairs or ring of hairs below the apex ; 

 stigma capitate. Pod compressed, continuous within. Seeds 

 globose or compressed. 



VICIA SATIVA, Linn. ; F. B. I. ii. 178. 



Nilgiri Hills, about Ootacamund, run wild. Common Yet eh 



or Tare. 



A slender climbing herb with reddish-blue flowers. 



The following species also occur only in cultivation, or as escapes, 

 or as casual weeds : 



YICIA FABA, Linn. " Bean." cultivated in gardens. 



LENS ESCULENTA, Moench. "Lentil." Vern. Hind. Masur, 

 rare in cultivation. 



LATHYRUS SATIVUS, Linn. "Chikling Yetch." Yern. Hind. 

 Kasari, also rare. 



