176 CHINESE ECONOMIC TREES 



Siberia, Korea & N. China. 



Var. major N. E. Brown is a large-fruited cultivated form common 

 in N. China, around Peking especially. Candied fruits strung on little 

 sticks are commonly vended in the markets. 



LEGUMINOSEAE 



Leaves alternate, usually compound, occasionally simple, with or 

 without stipules. Flowers papilionaceous, or regular, usually perfect, 

 rarely polygamo-dioecious; sepals 5, more or less united; petals usually 

 5 ; stamens definite, monadelphous or diadelphous or indefinite. Carpels 

 1 (rarely to 15) superior. Ovary 1 celled, ovules 1 to many in the cell. 

 Fruit a legume or a folicle or fleshy. Seeds usually exalbuminous, 

 sometimes albuminous. 



A large family of 490 genera and about 7,000 species widely 

 distributed in all temperate and tropical regions, containing numerous 

 representatives that are of great economic importance. Over 100 genera 

 are under cultivation in China. Comparatively few are arborescent. 



KEY TO GENERA 



Sub-family I Mimosoideae. Flowers regular, petals valvate; stamens 

 5-10 (rarely indefinite) exserted. 



I. Calyx lobes valvate, 5; stamens numerous, somewhat united at 

 the base; pods indehiscent or tardily dehiscent, flat, straight, 

 thin Albizzia. 



Sub-family II Caesnlpinioideae . Flowers irregular, imperfectly papilion- 

 aceous or nearly regular; petals imbricate, the upper one inside and 

 inclosed by the others; stamens 10 or fewer, not conspicuously 

 exserted. 



I. Leaves simple cordate; flowers imperfectly papilionaceous; calyx 

 5 toothed; legume flat, margin slightly winged Cercis. 



II. Leaves compound; flowers regular: 



a. Calyx tube elongated, 5 lobed; petals 5; stamens 10, shorter 

 than the petals; legume thick and woody ... .Gymnocladus. 



b. Calyx tube short, 3-5 lobed; petals 3-5; stamens 3-5; longer 

 than the petals; legume flat, short, leathery Gleditsia. 



