140 PHASEOLUS HELVOLUS (aAIBERIQUEJ 



impression or of a misunderstanding) the imsuitable nomen- 

 clature of Caracalla. 



Tlie seeds, of whicii this bean bears but a small quantity, 

 are useless for food ; on the other hand, with their superb 

 flowers blooming" in turn frcjm the beginning of July till 

 October, they are splendid plants for adorning arbours or 

 covering walls. At the same time these flowers only come 

 to their full beauty in very hot climates or in well-warmed 

 greenhouses. 



Von Martens relates ha\-ing seen this plant growing out 

 of doors in the botanical garden at Pavia, but states that 

 under these conditions the florescence lacked most of its 

 brilliance, the flowers being smaller in size and of a brownish 

 tint; in addition, petioles, leaflets, and flowers as well showed 

 a tendency to fall to pieces, leaving a bare stem. 



It is a hothouse plant, which mav, if necessarv, be culti- 

 vated in the Midi and Provence if against a wall of warm 

 and sheltered aspect. 



PHASEOLUS HELVOLUS (AMBERIOUE). 



Phascolus helvolus, which has been known in Reunion 

 for several centuries, has never been described by botanists. 

 Jacob de Cordemoy makes no mention of it. A pea called 

 Phascolus helvolus, of similar aspect and vegetation to the 

 plant under consideration, has been known to exist in 

 Louisiana. It would be interesting to make a comparison 

 between these two varieties with a view to establishing their 

 positions. 



In 1908, ?il. Blouin received from Reunion from M. de 

 Vill^le a number of seeds of Phaseolus helvolus which might 

 be compared with those of Louisiana, but M. Blouin was 

 unable to give a definite decision, and the doubt still remains. 



Phaseolus helvolus is a native of Madagascar, though the 

 date of its introduction to Reunion is not known. In the 

 statement made by the Marquis Henri du Quesne in 1689 to 



