LEGUMINOSJE. 281 



axillary, shorter than the leaf, many-flowered. Flowers small, 

 at first pure white, afterwards yellowish, in clusters of 3-6, 

 pedicelled, furnished with small ovate acute bracteas at the base. 

 Calyx bibracteolated, puberulous ; upper lip subemarginate ; 

 lower lip 3-fid ; segments broad-ovate. Standard greenish, 

 roundish, subemarginate, concave ; wings oblong, pure white ; 

 keel spirally twisted to the right (of the flower), into the con- 

 cavity of the standard. Ovary oblong, compressed, appresso- 

 puberulous: style villous beneath towards the stigma. Legume 

 scarcely more than an inch in length, tumid from the seeds, 

 slightly compressed, warty along the sutures, sub-glabrous, 3- 

 seeded : seeds white, size of the common pea of Europe, irre- 

 gularly many-sided, from pressing against each other in the 

 pod. 



The seeds of this species of PHASEOLUS have not only the 

 appearance but also a great deal of the sweet taste of the 

 common Pea (PisuM SATIVUM). It continues to bear through- 

 out the year, is very prolific, and deserves to be more generally 

 cultivated than it at present is. The name of Hibbert Pea is 

 commonly given, from its having been, accord to report, intro- 

 duced into this Island, from Madeira, by one of the Hibbert 

 Family. 



5. Phaseolus foecundus. Prolific or Hibbert Bean. 



Twining hispidulous, leaflets ovato-deltoid bluntish 

 apiculated, racemes shorter than the leaf, legumes 

 scimetar-shaped glabrous 2-3-seeded, seeds white 

 ovali-spherical. 



HAB. Cultivated and growing wild. 



FL. Throughout the year. 



Root and lower part of the stem perennial : branches herb- 

 aceous, subterete, compressed, striated. Leaflets scarcely 

 acuminate, apiculated, thin, hispidulous. Racemes axillary, at 

 first very short, but afterwards elongated : peduncle striated, 

 puberulous : pedicels in clusters of 23, furnished at their inser- 

 tion with minute ovate acute bracteas. Calyx bibracteolated, 

 minutely puberulous ; upper lip subentire ; under 3-dentate, 

 with the teeth acute. Standard emarginate, concave, externally 

 puberulous, greenish : wings pure white, subspathulato-oblong ; 

 keel greenish, spirally twisted between and above the wings, 

 into the concavity of the standard. Ovary oblong, compressed, 

 minutely puberulous, 3-ovuled. Legume 2 inches in length, 

 compressed, narrow towards the base, broad and beaked with 

 the remains of the style at the apex : seeds usually 2, ovali- 

 turgid, white. 



This bean is well deserving of cultivation, and is little 

 inferior to the Lima bean, to which indeed it bears a consider- 



