Desmodium.] leguminos.e. 85 



hail's on the stems and under side of the leaflets. Leaflets always single at 

 the end of the petiole, broadly ovate, or the lower ones orbicular, and the upper 

 sometimes ovate-lanceolate, from 2 to 5 in. long. Stipules lanceolate-subu- 

 late. Racemes long, terminal, slender, simple or slightly branched. Bracts 

 subulate. Flowers small, in distant fascicles of 2 to 6. Standard scarcely 2 

 lines long. Pod narrow, about ^ in. long, slightly pubescent with minute 

 hooked adhesive hairs, and consisting usually of 4 to 6 small indehiscent ar- 

 ticles ; the upper edge continuous or nearly so, the lower one deeply indented 

 between the articles. 



Hongkong, Haiice. Common in India from the Peninsula and the Himalayas to the Archi- 

 pelago, extending northward to the Philippines and S. China. 



12. LESPEDEZA, Eich. 



Calyx campanulate, 5-toothed or -lobed or the 2 upper teeth united into 1. 

 Standard obovate or oblong. Keel obtuse or beaked, without lateral appen- 

 dages. Stamens diadelphous, the upper ones free from the base. Ovary 

 sessile or stipitate, with a single ovule. Style usually pubescent, with a small 

 terminal stigma. Pod flat, ovate or orbicular, reticulate, indehiscent, con- 

 taining a single seed. — Herbs or undershrubs. Leaflets usually 3. Flowers 

 in axillary racemes, often contracted into dense fascicles ; the lower fascicles 

 in many species often mixed with numerous minute apetalous flowers, pro- 

 ducing nevertheless perfect pods. 



A considerable genus, distributed over central and eastern Asia and North America, only 

 found within the tropics in mountainous districts. 

 Flowers in axillaiy fascicles. Calyx-lobes subulate. Keel obtuse . . . \. L. cuneata. 



Flowers solitary. Calyx-lobes obtuse. Keel obtuse 2. X. striata. 



Flowers in loose axillary racemes. Calyx-lobes lanceolate. Keel acute . 3. Z. viator km. 



1. L. cuneata, G.Don; Benth. in Kew Journ. Bot.iw^l. Hoot-stock 

 thick and woody ; stems several, decumbent, ascending or nearly erect, stifl:', 

 and but little branched, 1 to 2 or 4 ft. long, hoary when young, at length 

 glabrous. Leaves usually crowded, the leaflets linear-cuneate, 2 to 6 lines 

 long, glabrous above, more or less hoary or silky underneath, the common 

 petiole seldom above a line long. Flowers piuk-pui-jDle, in dense axillary 

 clusters ; those in the upper axils nearly all complete, about 3 lines long, the 

 keel curved but obtuse ; those of the lower clusters mostly apetalous, with 

 imperfect stamens. Pod sessile, nearly orbicidar, slightly acute, scarcely 1 line 

 diameter. 



On the side of a hill on the estuary, East Point, but rare in the island, Champion. Common 

 in the Himalaya, extending eastward to S. China, Amoy, Loochoo, and Japan. 



2. L. Striata, Hook, and Am. Bot. Beech. 262. A small dift'use branch- 

 ing herb, often not above a few inches long, and rarely attaining a loot, with 

 an apparently perennial root-stock and wiiy branches. Leaflets cuneate- 

 oblong, very obtuse, seldom above 3 or 4 lines long, glabrous or with a few 

 appressed hairs on the ribs. Stipides ovate, longer than the very short petiole. 

 Flowers small, solitary or 2 or 3 together, on short pedicels, in tlie axils of 

 the leaves. Calyx-lobes ovate, obtuse, the length of the tube. Pod nearly 

 orbicular, about 1 line diameter. 



Hongkong, Ilarland, Hance. Found also on the adjacent continent, in Boniu, and 

 Japan. 



