Genista. LEGUMINOS^. 185 



Tribk VII. GENISTEjE. DC. 



Corolla papilionaceous. Stamens 10, monadelphous : anthers of two forms. Legumes con- 

 tinuous, one-celled, sometimes intercepted internally, but not jointed. Radicle incurved 

 or inflexed. Leaves simple or palmately compound, not stipellate. 



19. GENISTA. Linn. ;, Endl. gen. 6500. green-weed. 



[ From the Celtic word gen, signifying a small bush.] 



Calyx 2-lipped ; the upper lip 2-parted ; the lower 3-toolhed. Vexillum oblong-oval, straight, 

 scarcely including the stamens and style. Stamens unequal ; the 5 alternate anthers shorter. 

 Legume flat, many-seeded, not glandular. — Shrubby or suffruticose, often spiny plants, 

 with simple leaves and yellow flowers. 



1. Genista tinctoria, Linn. Dyet^s Green-weed. Wood-waxen. 



Stem erect ; branches terete, striate ; leaves lanceolate, nearly smooth ; flowers in spiked 

 racemes ; legumes smooth. — Engl. hot. t. 44 ; Bigel.f,. Bost. p. 267 ; DC. prodr, 2. p. 151 ; 

 Torr. 4- Gr. fl.N. Am. 2. p. 369. 



Stem a foot or more high, erect or ascending, branching, shrubby. Leaves sessile, rather 

 distant. Flowers nearly sessile, with a small bracteal leaf at the base of each. 



On a hill-side north of Peekskill, on the Hudson {Dr. S. B. Mead). Introduced from 

 Europe. The plant yields a coloring matter that is used for dyeing wool yellow. It has also 

 been employed medicinally as a diuretic and mild purgative. 



20. CROTALARIA. Linn. ; Endl. gen. 6472. rattlebox. 



[ From the Greek, crotdUm, a rattle ; the loose seeds making a rattling noise in the ripe legume.] 



Calyx 5-cleft, somewhat 2-lipped ; the upper lip 2-cleft, lower 3-cleft, Vexillum large, 

 mostly obcordate. Keel falcate, acuminate (rarely obtuse). Sheath of the stamens usually 

 cleft on the upper side. The 5 alternate anthers smaller and roundish. Style bearded on 

 the sides. Legumes turgid, inflated. Seeds several, reniform, compressed. — Herbaceous 

 or shrubby plants. Leaves simple (as in all the North American species), or palmately 

 compound. Flowers in racemes, commonly yellow, with one or two bracteoles at the base 

 of the calyx. 



1. Crotalaria sagittalis, Linn. Small Anmml Raitlebox. 



Annual, hairy ; stem erect, branching ; leaves oblong-lanceolate, nearly sessile ; stipules 

 united and decurrent on the stem, obversely sagittate ; peduncles about 3-flowered ; corolla 

 rather shorter than the calyx ; legumes much inflated, oblong, many-seeded. — Linn. ; Michx. 



[Flora.] 24 



