LF.GUMINOS/E. 289 



6. Dolichos sphaerospermus. Black-eyed Pea. 



Stem erect, branches glabrous, leaflets ovate sub- 

 acute, peduncles elongated bearing a few flowers at 

 the apex, legumes straight, seeds spherical with the 

 hilum black. 



Phaseolus erectus minor, semine spliaerico albido, Lilo nigro, 

 Sloane, I. 184. t. 117. P. erectus, siliquis gracilibus teretibus 

 polyspermis, seminibus subrotundis hilo nigro, Browne, 392. 



P. sphaerospermus, Linn. Sp. PI. 1018 Dolichos sphserosper- 



mus, De Cand. Prod. II. 400. 



HAB Cultivated in the plains. 



FTj. Throughout the year. 



Herbaceous, a foot or more in height, somewhat twining ; 

 branches subterete, anguloso-sulcated, glabrous. Leaflets ovate 

 or oval, obtuse, apiculated, nerved, reticulato-venose, subgla- 

 brous (minutely ciliated and strigose on the under surface of 

 the nerves) : petiole elongated, sub-3-gonal, striated. Stipules 

 oblongo-ovate, auriculato-extended at the base, membranaceous. 

 Peduncles axillary, longer than the leaf, anguloso-sulcated, 

 bearing in a head about 6 sessile flowers in 'pairs, with a 

 rounded tubercle between each, at its extremity. Calyx tubu- 

 lose, to the glass rough, spotted with purple ; upper lip bifid, 

 with the divisions subulate ; under lip 3-fid with the divisions 

 spreading, lanceolato-ovate. Standard roundish, slightly emar- 

 ginate, sulcated towards the base, and furnished with two pairs 

 of diverging callosities, externally greenish, internally pale 

 yellow; wings tinged with lilac, irregularly obovato-oblong ; 

 keel bifid at the base, coherent above, and also below the apex. 

 Stamens diadelphous : anthers yellow. Ovary linear : style 

 bearded beneath for half its length : stigma hispidulous, bearing 

 a conical glandule on its back. Legume 6-8 inches long, 

 cylindrical, when ripe of a clay-colour, many-seeded : seeds 

 size of a very small pea, nearly spherical, white, with a black 

 hilum. 



This is a very prolific and excellent variety of the pulse 

 kind. When used green it is scarcely inferior, and when dry, 

 is in the opinion of many, superior to the pea of Europe. 



XXVI. LABLAB. 



Calyx campanulato-tubulose, 4-fid ; upper lip broad, 

 lower of 3 acute lobes. Standard sulcato-channelled, 

 with 4 parallel callosities : keel curved at a right 

 angle. Stamens diadelphous. Style bearded be- 

 neath : stigma terminal. Legume piano-compressed, 

 tuberculoso-muricated along the sutures, with cellu- 

 lose interstices separating the seeds : seeds 4, or 



