138 



Leguminosae. 



Ceratonia. Carob. 

 (Family Leguminosae). 



Round-topped tender trees: de- 

 ciduous. Twigs moderate, at first 

 somewhat grooved but becoming 

 terete: pith moderate, obscurely 

 angled, continuous, salmon-col- 

 ored. Buds small, solitary, ses- 

 sile, oblong, naked except for a 

 pair of stipular scales, the termi- 

 nal larger and more open. Leaf- 

 scars alternate, 2-ranked, subor- 

 bicular, little raised: bundle- 

 trace 1, rather large: stipule- 

 scars small. 



Winter-characters are pictured 

 by Schneider, f. 73. 



The name carob is a modifica- 

 tion of the Arabic name algaroba: 

 it is commonly called St. John's 

 bread, or Johannisbrot in the 

 German cities where the sweet 

 pulp of its pods is much liked by 

 children. It is said to be an important forage plant in the 

 Mediterranean region, and under favorable cultural conditions 

 to produce a greater food yield per acre than alfalfa, averag- 

 ing several hundred pounds of pods to the tree each year and 

 in some cases producing over a ton to the tree. Efforts are 

 being made to introduce it into the warmer parts of the 

 United States as a staple crop. 

 Twigs gray-velvety, with large brown lenticels. C. Siliqua. 



