DIADELPHIA. DECANDRTA. 113 



A tropical genus of more than 50 species, with some 

 exceptions in Japan and South Africa. The seeds of some 

 of the species are esculent, and used as articles of ordi- 

 nary diet. 



514. APIOS. Moench. Glycine. L. 



Calix subbilabiate, truncate, with but a single 

 denture situated beneath the carina. Carina 

 falcate, reflet ting the apex of the vexilluni. Germ 

 cylindrirally sheathed at the base. Legume 

 many-seeded. 



Root consisting- of pendulous oblon,^-cylindric tubers; 

 stem herbaceous and twining-; stipules cauline and subu- 

 late; leaves pinnate in o's and 7's; racemes axillary, many- 

 flowered, flowers brown, agg-regated by 3's, bractes by 3's, 

 caducous; calix short and truncate, subcrenate, bibrac- 

 teolate, lower lip with a single denture; carina of the corolla 

 falcate; stipe of tlie germ cylindrically sheathed, a cir- 

 cumstance common to two other genera. 



Species. 1. A. tuberosa. Ph. Flowers odorous; tubers 

 of the root edible and farinaceous, much like those of Xa- 

 thyrus tnherosiis so\d in some of tlie German markets, and 

 rarely larger, though very numerous. 



515. *AMPHICARPA. Elliott, mss. 



Calix campanulatc, 4-toothpd, obtuse and na- 

 ked at the base. Petals all oblong, vexillum 

 broader and incumbent, subsessile. Anthers 

 round. Stigma capitate. Germ cylindrically 

 sheathed at the base. Legume flat, and stipitate, 

 2, 3 or 4-seeded. 



Stems twining, leaves ternate, stipules, minute, cauMne; 

 racemes axUlary; bractes 2-flo\vered; flowers sometimes 

 apetalous. (Wings oblong, unidentate at the base; carina 

 oblong, obtuse, straight.) 



Species. 1. monoica. Oes. Stem twining, retrorsely 

 pilose; leaves ternate, ovate, nearly smooth; stipules ovate, 

 striate; racemes pedunculate, short and croud :d, pendu- 

 lous; bractes roundi.sh, persistent, 2-flowered. Cul.xcam* 

 panuhte, naked and obtuse at the base, almost equally 4- 

 toothed; carma obiong, obt-ise, not reflecting the vexillum, 

 which is oblong; flowers all petaliferous, and all more op 

 less producing fruit. Germ cylindricallv sheathed at the 

 K 



