158 XXXI. LEGUMINOS^E. [ParHnsonia. 



3. PABKINSONIA, Linn. 



Spiny shrubs, or small trees, with bipinnate leaves; primary peti- 

 oles short, secondary elongated, abruptly pinnate, with minute leaflets. 

 Flowers yellow, in lax axillary racemes. Calyx divided nearly to base 

 into 5 equal, membranous, slightly imbricate segments. Petals 5, equal, 

 spreading. Stamens 10, free; filaments pilose at base ; anthers uniform, 

 elliptical. Ovary 8-15-ovulate, style filiform, recurved in bud. Pod 

 linear, contracted between the seeds, seeds albuminous. 



1. P. aculeata, Linn.; W. & A. Prodr. 283. Vern. Vilayati Hkar, Pb. 



Common (primary) petiole J in. long, ending in a stout sharp spine, 

 often with lateral stipulary spines. Pinnae 6-10 in. long, 2-4 on either 

 side, clustered, flat, coriaceous, with or without minute leaflets. Eacemes 

 shorter than leaves, pods 3-6 in. long. 



Indigenous in the West Indies and tropical America, cultivated in most 

 tropical countries, almost naturalised in India, where it is grown as a hedge- 

 plant. Has spread largely throughout the Panjab since annexation, and thrives 

 well in the more arid districts. Common in the Salt line fence in Harriana. 

 Fl. throughout the year. Branches lopped as fodder for goats. Wood whitish, 

 light and soft, but close-grained, polishes fairly. 



To the same tribe as the preceding genera (Eucoesalpiniece) belongs JTcema- 

 toxylon campechianum, Linn., the logwood, a most valuable dyewood of Central 

 America and the West Indies ; also Acrocarpus fraxinifolius, Arnott, Bedd. Fl. 

 Sylv. t. 44, one of the largest timber-trees of the evergreen forests along the 

 Western Ghats. 



4. BAUHINIA, Linn. 



Trees, shrubs, or climbers, with simple or bifoliolate leaves, the leaflets 

 distinct, or more or less connate. Flowers white, pink, or purple, in 

 simple or paniculate racemes. Calyx gamosepalous, turbinate or tubular, 

 cleft into 5 segments, or split on the upper side, and spathaceous. Petals 

 5, spreading, slightly unequal. Stamens 10, all or only a portion perfect, 

 free or more or less connate ; anthers versatile, the cells dehiscing lon- 

 gitudinally. Ovary stipitate, stalk free or adnate to the tube, with 2 or 

 numerous ovules. Pod indehiscent or 2-valved, long, linear, or oblong. 

 Seeds numerous. 



Stamens 10, all perfect; ovary-stalk free ; pod indehiscent (sub- 

 genus Pileostigma). 

 A tree ; calyx 5 -cleft ; legume marked with regular parallel 



reticulate veins . . . . . . . 1. B. malabarica. 



A tree ; calyx spathaceous ; legume irregularly reticulate . 2. B. racemosa. 

 Perfect stamens 3, 4, or 5 ; ovary- stalk adnate to calyx ; pod 

 2-valved (sub-genus Phanera). 

 Trees ; flowers large, in short racemes. 



Perfect stamens 3 ; calyx 2-cleft to the base ; leaflets con- 

 nate to the middle 3. B. purpurea. 



Perfect stamens 5 ; calyx spathaceous ; leaflets connate be- 

 yond the middle 4. B. variegata. 



A tree ; flowers small, in large panicles ; perfect stamens 3 ; 



calyx 2-3 cleft to the base ; leaflets connate to the apex . 5. B. retusa. 

 A climber ; flowers middle-sized in large corymbs . . '6. B. Vahlii. 



