ViciA. LEGUMINOS^. , 165 



Pursh, fl. 2. p. 471 ; DC. prodr. 2. p. 355 ; Hook. ft. Bor.-Am. 1. p. 157 ; Darlingt. ft. 

 Cest: p. 424; Torr. ^ Gr. fl. N. Am. 1. p. 269. 



Stem 1-3 feet long, slender, somewhat quadrangular. Leaflets about three-fourths of an 

 inch long, on very short partial petioles. Stipules many times smaller than the leaflets. 

 Tendrils 2 - many-parted. Flowers about 8 lines long, purplish blue. Upper teeth of the 

 pubescent calyx very short. 



Moist shady places, particularly in the northern and western counties ; rare, June. 



2. ViciA Cracca, Linn. Tufted Vetch. 



Stem branching ; leaflets numerous (20 - 24), oblong, minutely pubescent, mucronate ; 

 stipules lanceolate, semisagittate, nearly entire ; peduncles many-flowered, about as long as 

 the leaves , the flowers crowded, retrorsely imbricate ; teeth of the calyx shorter than the 

 tube, the upper ones very short ; style hairy at the summit ; legume oblong, coriaceous, re- 

 ticulated, smooth ; seeds globose, black. — Michx. fl. 2. p. 69 ; 'Engl. hot. t. 1168 ; Pursh, 

 fl. 2. p. 472 ; .DC. prodr. 2. p. 357 ; Bigel fl. Bost. p. 269 ; Hook. fl. Bor.-Am. \.p. 157 ; 

 Beck, hot. p. 88 ; Torr. ^ Gr. fl. N. Am. 1. p. 270. 



Stem 2-3 feet long, slender. Leaflets about three-fourths of an inch long, usually rather 

 obtuse. Raceme 15 - 30-flowered, at length often longer than the leaves. Flowers 4-6 

 lines long, bright blue or pale purple ; their pedicels short and pubescent. Legume com- 

 pressed, brownish. 



Borders of woods, fields, etc. ; western part of the State. June - July. Possibly an 

 introduced plant, but it has much the appearance of being indigenous here. 



3. ViciA TETRASPERMA, Loiscl. Slender Vetch. 



Smooth ; leaflets 4-6, oblong ; stipules lanceolate, semisagittate ; peduncles mostly 2- 

 flowered ; teeth of the calyx lanceolate, shorter than the tube, the sinuses acute ; legume 

 oblong, smooth, usually 4-seeded. — Loisel. fl. Gall. 1 . p. 460 ; Torr. ^ Gr. fl. N. Am. 1 , 

 p. 272. V. pusilla, Muhl. in Willd. sp. 3. p. 1106 ; Pursh, fl. 2. p. 471 ; Bigel. fl. Bost. 

 p. 270. Ervum tetraspermum, Linn.; Engl. bat. t. 1223 ; DC. prodr. 2. p. 367 ; Torr. 

 compend. p. 264 ; Hook. fl. Bor.-Am. 1. p. 158. 



Stems somewhat cespitose, 1-2 feet long, very slender, quadrangular. Leaves half an 

 inch long, rather obtuse, tipped with a short fine point. Flowers very small, rarely solitary, 

 sometimes 3-4 together. Peduncles at first rather shorter, but in fruit longer than the leaves, 

 filiform. Corolla white, or tinged with purple. Legumes half an inch long, resembling 

 minute peas. Seeds blackish, with a linear hilum, somewhat compressed. 



Banks of rivers ; rather common in the neighborhood of the city of New- York, and for 

 some distance up the Hudson. June - July. A native also of Europe. 



20* 



