ORDER XL. STAPHYLEACE^E BLADDERNUT-FAMILY. ORDER XLHI. LEGUMINOSJB PEA-FAMILY, 



147 



I. C. Americanus. 



Jersey Tea. 



Young branches pubescent; leaves ovate, or oblong-ovate, serrate, nearly 

 smooth above, white-downy beneath, as likewise the petioles and veins ; flow- 

 ers small, white, numerous, in dense, axillary, pedunculate, naked, thyrsoid 

 panicles. A small shrub, with a profusion of white flowers, growing in woods 

 and copses, preferring a rather dry soil. Stem 2 3 feet high, with reddish, 

 alander branches. June, 



ORDER XL. Staphyleacese. JBladdernut- 

 family. 



1. STAPHYLEA. 



Flowers perfect. Sepals 5, colored, persistent, erect Petals 

 6. Stamens 5. Styles 3. Capsules membranaceous, 3-celled, 3- 

 lobed. 



1. S. trifolia. Bladdernut. 



Leaves ternate, opposite ; leaflets ovate, acuminate, finely serrate, pubescent 

 when young, at length smooth; stipules caducous; flowers white, in nodding, 

 axillary racemes ; petals narrow-obovate, ciliate at base ; stamens somewhat 

 exsert; fruit composed of 3, inflated, united, 1 -several -seeded carpels, distinct 

 at apex ; seeds smooth and polished. An elegant shrub, 6 12 feet high, in low 

 grounds and thickets. May. 



ORDER XLI. Vitacese. Grape-family. 



1. VlTIS. 



Calyx nearly entire. Petals 4 5, united at top, or distinct 

 and spreading, deciduous. Ovary surrounded and partly in- 

 closed in the elevated torus, 2-celled ; cells 2-ovuled. Berry 1- 

 celled, 1 4-seeded. Peduncles changing to tendrils. 



\. V. Labriisca. 



Wild Grape. 



Leaves broadly cordate, often S-lobed, repand-toothed, tomentose beneath, 

 veins covered with ferruginous pubescence ; flowers dioecious, small, green, in 

 compact, oblong panicles, opposite the leaves ; fruit large, globose, black, some- 

 times greenish or reddish-purple, pleasant and eatable when fully ripe, with a 

 tough pulp. A common species in low grounds, with very long stems, which 

 often reach the tops of the highest trees, climbing by means of its tendrils. 

 June. 



2. V. cordifolia. Frost Grape. 



Young branches mostly smooth ; leaves cordate, acuminate, somewhat 

 equally -toothed, often 3-lobed when young, pubescent on the veins beneath, 

 glabrous on both sides when old ; racemes loose, many-flowered ; berries small, 

 black, late, very acid, till moderated by the frosts of November. A smooth 

 species, not uncommon in low grounds and woods, but by no means so frequent 

 as the last 



3. V. vinifera. Wine Grape. 



Leaves cordate, sinuately 5-lobed, smooth or tomentose ; flowers all perfect 

 The size and color of the fruit are exceedingly varied. This is the "Wine Grape 

 of Europe, but is cultivated in this country under glass, or in the case of some 

 hardy varieties, in the open grounds, for table use. The Wine Grapes of this 

 country are varieties of V. Labriisca. June. 



2. AMPEL6PSI8. 



Calyx entire. Petals 5, distinct, spreading. Torus without a 

 ring. Ovary 2-celled ; cells 2-ovuled. Style very short, conical. 

 Berry 2-celled ; cells 1 2-seeded. 



1. A. quinquefolia. 



Woodbine. 



Stem climbing, smooth ; leaves digitate-quinate ; leaflets oblong, serrate, 

 acuminate, petiolate, smooth ; flowers greenish, in dichotomous, many- flowered 

 panicles ; berries dark blue, as large as a small pea, with crimson peduncles and 

 pedicels A rapidly growing and spreading vine, climbing to a great height 

 over trees and the walls of buildings, covering them with its dense foliage, for 

 which purpose it is often cultivated. Along fences and borders of woods. 

 Common. The foliage turns crimson in autumn. July. 



ORDER XLII. 



Polygalacese. Potygala- 

 family. 



1. POLYGALA. 



Sepals 5, persistent, with large petaloid wings. Petals 3, 

 their claws adhering to the tube of filaments ; lower one carinate. 

 Capsule obcordate, 2-celled, 2-valved, 2-seeded. Seeds carun- 

 culate. 



1. P. sanguinea. 



Purple Polygala. 



Stem angular, branching above, or simple ; leaves narrow-linear, sessile ; 

 flowers rose-color, beardless, in dense, short spikes, resembling heads. As the 

 flowers wither, they drop off, leaving the naked flexuous rachis. Wings of the 

 calyx obovate. A pretty little plant, of meadows and wet grounds, with fasti- 

 giate branches, growing 6' 8' high. July Oct. An. 



2. P. verticillata. Green-flowered Polygala. 



Stem erect, branched ; leaves linear, in whorls of 5 6 ; spikes linear, slen- 

 der, pedunculate ; flowers very small, crested, greenish-white ; bracts very de- 

 ciduous ; wings of the calyx roundish. A slender plant, with inconspicuous 

 flowers, growing 3' 4' high on dry hills. July*0ct. An. 



3. P. polygama. 



Bed Centaury. 



Stems erect, smooth, simple, several from the same root ; leaves alternate, 

 entire, narrow-oblong ; flowers deep rose-color, or purplish, in loose terminal 

 racemes, at length pendulous ; wings broad-obovate, spreading, longer than the 

 corolla; capsule oblong, emarginate. Fields and hill-sides, growing 6' 8' high. 

 Stem with radical racemes, either prostrate, or beneath the surface, with wing- 

 less and nearly apetalous flowers. Plant very bitter. June July. Per. 



4. P. paucifolia. 



Fringed Polygala. 



Stem erect, simple, leafy at summit ; leaves ovate, entire, petiolate, termi- 

 nal ; flowers 28, large and handsome f ' long, deep rose-color, on pedicels 

 nearly J' long, crested; radical flowers wingless; lateral sepals oblong, con- 

 cave; crest inconspicuous, purple ; rhizoma creeping and branching, throwing 

 up simple branches. A handsome plant, in low woods and swamps. The radical 

 flowers are much smaller, of a greenish hue, and either prostrate or subterra- 

 nean. May. Per. 



ORDER XLIII. Leguminosse. Pea-family. 



SYNOPSIS OF THE GENERA. 

 A. Corolla properly papilionaceeus. 



* Leaves abruptly pinnate* tendriled. 



1. LATHYKTO. Style filiform, bearded on the inner side next the free stamen 



2. ViciA. Style, filiform, bearded on the outside. Legume oblong, not 

 tumid. Seeds oval. 



8. PistiM. Style bearded on the outside. Legume tumid. Seeds globose. 



* * Leaves unequally pinnate. 



5. APIOS. Calyx obscurely bilabiate ; upper lip with 2 very short, rounded 

 teeth ; 2 lateral teeth nearly obsolete. Vexillum broad, with a longitudinal 

 fold in the centre. Stem twining. 



6. WISTARIA. Calyx abruptly bilabiate ; upper lip with 2 short teeth ; 

 lower one of 3 nearly equal teeth. Vexillum with 2 callous processes, de- 

 scending the claws. Stems twining. 



8. ROBINIA. Calyx 5-toothed ; 2 upper teeth more or less coherent, shorter 

 than the others. Stamens diadelphous. Trees and shrubs with stipulate 



8P1I 9. TEPIIK&SIA. Calyx with 5 nearly equal teeth. Stamens mostly mona- 

 delphous. Herbs. 



* * * Leaves pinnately 3-foliatc. 



4. PHASEOLUS. Calyx campanulate, 5-toothed, 2 upper teeth more or less 

 united. Legume usually somewhat linear, or compressed, many-seeded. 



7. AMPHICARP JSA. Calyx campanulate, mostly 4-toothed. Flowers of 2 kinds. 

 Upper flowers complete, usually unproductive ; those near the base apetalous, 

 productive. Legumes flat, 1-4 seeded. Stems twining. 



11. MELILOTUS. Calyx tubular. Legume short, 1 4 seeded. Sweet- 

 scented plants. 



13. DBSMODITJM. Legume compressed, composed of several separate, 

 strongly hispid joints. 



* * * * Leaves palmately 3-foliate. 



10. TEiFdLiDM. Flowers in heads. Calyx tubular, 5-cleft Legume small, 

 indehiscent, 2^ seeded, included in the calyx. H-JJ.. 



12. MEDICAGO. Flowers in axillary, pedunculate spikes. Calyx cylindno, 

 Leenme falcate, or spirally coiled. 



14 LESPEDEZA. Flowers in dense, axillary, almost capitate spikes. Legume 

 small, lenticular, reticulated, indehisoent, 1-seeded, usually flat 



17. BAPTISIA. Flowers in racemes at the ends of the branches. Legume 

 much inflated, mostly 2-seeded. 



