DICOTYLEDONS LEGTJMINOS^E DIAGEAM 1 2 



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Other plants are used for forage, such as the lucerne, the vetch, 

 and the clover ; one plant yields oil, arachis ; others are large 

 trees, such as the laburnum, the liquorice, the indigo, the 

 mahogany, and the carob-tree ; and the curious sensitive plant also 

 belongs to this family. 



All the plants of the family leguminosse have a pod for their 

 fruit, and their flower is also very similar; the calyx is very 

 regular, with five divisions ; the corolla is irregular, and formed 

 of five parts ; it is often beautifully coloured, and is easily recog- 

 nised by its shape, which has been compared to that of a butter- 

 fly. There is an uneven part erected above, and then two lateral 

 parts which represent the wings. The stamens are numerous, 

 but are divided into two distinct groups ; one is placed by itself ; 

 others are soldered together, and surround the pistil, which is 

 already pod-shaped. The leaves of leguminosee are almost always 

 compound. 



The arachis or ewth-nut is very much 

 like clover, but will only grow in hot 

 countries. When the flower is over? 

 and the fruit begins to ripen, the stalk 

 which bears it bends down, and the fruit 

 buries itself in the ground where it 

 ripens. It is gathered there, and 

 brought to Europe in large quantities, 

 and is crushed to extract ground-nut oil. 

 Liquorice juice is extracted from the 

 root of a shrub which is very common 

 in South Europe. It is dried, and 

 formed into sticks ; and the root itself is also sold, and is chewed 

 for its pleasant taste. 



The indigo-plant yields one of the most useful dyes, and only 

 grows in the hottest countries. To extract the indigo, all the 

 green parts are put in cellars, where they decay rapidly. The 

 indigo then separates, and is collected in the form of a blue paste 

 which is made into small lumps like pieces of chalk, which are 



Arachis. 



