122 tHE PEAFLOWfiR T.RiBEV 



racemes, on peduncles rather longer than the leaves, of a fine bluish- 

 purple, each one about 5 lines long. Style hairy, all round below the 

 stigma. Pod flattened, glabrous, about an inch long, with 6 or 8 seeds. 

 In hedges and bushy places, throughout Europe and Kussian Asia, from 

 the Mediterranean to the Arctic Circle, and in northern America. 

 Common in Britain. PL. summer. 



4. V. sylvatica, Linn. (fig. 281). Wood V. A handsome, usually 

 glabrous species, climbing over shrubs and small trees, sometimes to the 

 length of 6 or 8 feet. Stipules deeply divided at their base. Leaflets 

 fewer and broader than in V. Cracca, usually 8 or 10 pairs to each leaf, 

 oblong, or the lower ones ovate, obtuse or notched at the top. Flowers 

 considerably longer than in V. Cracca, white with bluish streaks, loosely 

 drooping in long racemes. Pod glabrous, broad, an inch long, 4-6 

 seeded. 



In open woods and bushy places, in the hilly, and especially the northern 

 districts, of Europe and Russian Asia to the Arctic Circle, and in the moun- 

 tains of southern Europe and central Asia. Not uncommon in Scotland, 

 and in most hilly, wooded districts of England and Ireland. Fl. summer. 



5. V. Orobus, DC. (fig. 282). Upright F. A slightly hairy branching 

 perennial, with a somewhat creeping rootstock ; the stems more erect 

 than in other Vicice, and the tendrils all reduced to a fine point ter- 

 minating the leafstalk, or in the upper leaves replaced by a terminal 

 leaflet, as in Lathyrus niger, but the plant does not usually dry black, 

 as in that species, and the style is that of View. Cracca. Stipules 

 broader than in the last two species, and slightly toothed. Leaflets 8 

 to 10 pairs to each leaf, narrow-oblong, with a fine point. Peduncles 

 about the length of the leaf, with a close raceme of 6 to 10 rather 

 large purplish- white flowers. Pod flattened, about an inch long, with 

 3 or 4 seeds, or rarely more. 



In mountain pastures and woods, in western Europe, from the 

 Pyrenees to southern Norway, reappearing eastward in Bavaria and 

 Transylvania. In Britain, spread over Wales, northern England, and 

 a great part of Scotland, very rare in Ireland. FL early summer. 



6. V. sepium, Linn. (fig. 283). Bush F. A slightly hairy perennial; 

 the stems 1 to 2 feet high, weak and straggling but scarcely climbing. 

 Stipules small and entire, or larger and toothed. Leaflets 4 to 6 pairs 

 in each leaf, ovate or oblong ; the leafstalk ending in a tendril, usually 

 branched. Flowers smaller than in V. saliva, of a light reddish-purple, 

 2 to 4 together in the axils of the upper leaves, drooping from short 

 pedicels, and forming a sessile cluster or a very short raceme. Style 

 with a dense tuft of hairs under the stigma on the outer side, with a 

 few short hairs on the opposite side. Pod glabrous, about an inch 

 long. Seeds few, half encircled by the long, linear hilurn. 



In woods and shady places, and hedges, extending over Europe and 

 Russian Asia, from the Mediterranean to the Arctic Circle. Common 

 in Britain. Fl. all summer. 



7. V. lutea, Linn. (fig. 284). Yellow F. A glabrous or slightly 

 hairy annual, said, however, by some to form a perennial rootstock ; 

 the stems spreading, branched, usually low, but sometimes ascending 

 to a foot or more. Stipules, foliage, and solitary flowers of V. saliva, 

 but the corolla is of a pale yellow, and the rather broad pods are re- 

 flexed, and covered with long hairs. Seeds few, with a short hilum. 



