LEGUMINOUS PLANTS. 213 



eanum), and the yellow flowering pea (pisttm 

 ockrus). The first is the only one which is deemed 

 eligible for cultivation in Britain. The sea-pea is a 

 native of England, which we have noticed in Chapter 

 VIII. 



The Pisum Jlmencanum is a biennial plant which 

 was found growing at Cape Horn by some of the 

 people attached to Lord Anson's expedition. This 

 fresh pulse was a most welcome addition to the ordi- 

 nary sea provisions, and under such circumstances 

 it appeared to be of more excelling flavour than the 

 common pea. It was accordingly brought home and 

 propagated, but was soon found not to equal even 

 the worst sort of those which were already in culti- 

 vation, and it is now only preserved in botanical col- 

 lections. The flowers are blue, each peduncle sus- 

 taining four or five flowers, the pods taper, and the 

 seeds are very small. 



The yellow flowering pea is found in a wild state 

 in the corn-fields of Sicily, and some parts of Italy, 

 but is here merely preserved in botanic gardens for 

 the sake of variety. The peduncles have but one 

 flower each, and the pods and seeds are larger than 

 those of the sea-pea. They are sometimes eaten, but 

 they are coarse and of little value. 



The native country of the common pea is not 

 known, it having been a cultivated vegetable before 

 the commencement of botanical history. It is prob- 

 able, however, that it was introduced into Britain 

 from the warmer parts of Europe, and may have 

 been brought to these from Egypt and Syria. It is 

 known in India, China, and Cochin China; but it is 

 not very plentiful in those places, and there is no 

 evidence of its being a native plant. It is more 

 abundant in the Japan Isles, the climate and soil of 

 which agree better with its habits; and therefore there 

 is reason to conclude that it is not a native of very 



