LKGUMINOSyi:. (I'ULSK FAMILY.) 123 



Ouni-.K 32. LEGlIIfllNOS.I]. (Pclsic Family.) 



Plants wilft papilionaceous or soinctimcs regular Jtower.i, 10 (rarely 5 and 

 snnielimes mam/) mouailelphous, t/iaih^'phous, or rarelij distinct slarnens, and 

 a .-ingle simple free pistil, becoming a legume in fruit. Seeds mostlg tcithoul 

 albumen. Leaves alternate, with stipules, usually compound. One of tlie 

 sepals inft'rior (i. e. next the bract) ; one of tlie petals superior (i. e. next 

 the axis of the inflorescence). — A very large order (nearly free from 

 noxioius (jualities), of which tlie principal representatives in northern tem- 

 perate regions belong to the fii-st of tiie three subordei-s it comprises. 



Suborder T. PAPILIOIVACE.E. Proper Pulse Family. 



Calyx of .5 sepals, more or less united, oi'tcn unequally so. Corolla peri- 

 gynous (inserted into tlie base of the calyx), of 5 irregular petals (or very 

 rarely fewer), imbricated in the bud, more or less difiimciXy jiapilionaceous, 

 i. e. witli the upper or odd petal, called the cexillum or standard, larger 

 than tlie others and enclosing them in the bud, usually turned backward 

 or spreading ; the two lateral ones, called the icings, oblitjue and exterior 

 to the two lower petals, which last are connivent and commonly more or 

 less coherent by their anterior edges, forming a body named the carina or 

 keel, from its resemblance to the keel or prow of a boat, and which usually 

 encloses the stamens and pistil. Stamens 10, very rarely 5, inserted with 

 the corolla, monadelphous, diadelphous (mostly with 9 united in one set 

 in a tube which Is cleft on the upper side, i. e. next the standard, and the 

 tenth or up])er one separate), or occasionally distinct. Ovary 1 -celled, .some- 

 times 2-celled by an intrusion of one of the sutures, or transversely 2- 

 many-celled by cross-division into joints : style simjile : ovules amphitro- 

 pous, rarely anatropous. Cotyledons large, thick or thickish : radicle 

 incurved. — Leaves simple or simply compound, the earliest ones in ger- 

 mination usually opposite, the rest alternate : leaflets almost always (piite 

 entire. Flowers perfect, solitary and axillary, or in spikes, racemes, or 

 panicles. . 



A. Stamens monadelphous or diadelphous. 



Tribe I. GENISTEiE. Shrubs or herbs, novcr climbing, with simple or palmatfly com- 

 pound leaves, and peduncles terminal or opposite the leaves. Stamens monailelplious : an- 

 thers of two forms. I'od continuous. 



1. L.U|>iliU8. Calyx deeply 2-lipped. Keel scythe-shaped, pointed. Po<l flat. 



2. C'rotnlaria. Calyx 5-lobed. Keel scythe-sha|>ed, pointi-d. P. id inflated. Leaves simple. 



3. Gciii8tn. Keel straight, deflexe<l. Pod usually flat. Li-aves simple. 



Tribe II. TRIFOI..IK.aC. Herbs, not climbinR, with 3 -(rarely 5-7-) foliolate leaves, 

 the veinleff of the Iraflcls often TunninR int/i minute teeth, and the stipules united with the 

 bas?(if the ]>etiiile. Peduncles axillary. Stamens diadelphous : luithers uniform. Pod small 

 and 1 -few-seeded, or coiled. 



4. Triruliiim. Flowers capitate. Pods membranaceous, 1-6-seeded. Petals adherent to 



the stamen-tiibf. 



5. Mi-Iilotiifi. Flowers racemed. Po<ls coriaceous, wrinkled, 1 -2-seeded. 



6. Medicago. Flowers racemeil or ripifted. P<k1h curved or coik-d, 1 - few-seeded 



