314 



PAPIUONACEAE. 



[Vol.. II. 



i. Meibomia nudiflora (I,.) Kuntze. Naked-flowered Tick-trefoil. (Fig.2i7O.) 



If Hedysarum nudiflorum L. Sp. PI. 749. 1753. 



4 Desmodium nudiflorum DC. Prodr. 2: 330. 1825. 



Meibomia nudiflora Kuntze, Rev. Gen. PI. 197. 1891. 



Slender, erect or ascending, the leaves clustered 

 at the summit of the sterile stems, the peduncle 

 arising from the base of the plant, leafless or rarely 

 with i or 2 leaves. Stipules subulate, deciduous; 

 petioles i'-4' long; leaflets oval or ovate, glabrous 

 or slightly pubescent, somewhat acuminate or with a 

 blunt point, pale beneath, i'-3' long, the terminal 

 one rhomboidal, the others inequilateral ; panicles 

 narrow, few-flowered; flowers rose-purple, $"-*>" 

 long; bracts deciduous; calyx-teeth obtuse, the low- 

 est one largest; loment 2-3-jointed, the joints longer 

 than wide, straight or concave on the back, ob- 

 liquely semi-rhomboidal, pubescent with uncinate 

 hairs, the sutures glabrous; stipe nearly as long as 

 the pedicel. 



In dry woods, Quebec to Minnesota, south to Florida 

 and Louisiana. July-Aug. 



2. Meibomia grandifldra (Walt.) Kuntze. 

 Pointed-leaved Tick-trefoil. (Fig. 2171.) 



Hedysarum grandiflorum Walt. Fl. Car. 185. 1788. 

 Hedysarum acuminatttm Michx. Fl. Bor. Am. a: 72. 



1803. 



Desmodium acuminatum DC. Prodr. a: 329. 1825. 

 Meibomia grandifiora Kuntze, Rev. Gen. PI. 196. 1891. 



Erect, glabrous, or somewhat pubescent, i-5 

 high. Leaves in a cluster at the summit of the 

 stem, from which rises the slender peduncle; peti- 

 oles 3 / -6 / long; stipules subulate, generally persis- 

 tent; leaflets ovate, acuminate, 2' -6' long, pubes- 

 cent with scattered hairs on both surfaces; panicle 

 ample; bracts deciduous; flowers large, purple; lo- 

 ment 2-3- jointed; joints longer than wide, concave 

 above, obliquely rounded below, uncinate- pubes- 

 cent; stipe as long as the pedicel. 



In dry or rocky woods, Quebec to Minnesota, south 

 to Florida, Nebraska and the Indian Territory. 

 June-Sept. 



3. Meibomia paucifldra (Nutt.) Kuntze. 

 Few-flowered Tick-trefoil. (Fig. 2172.) 



Hedysarum pauciflorum Nutt. Gen. 2: 109. 1818. 

 Desmodium pauciflorum DC. Prodr. 2:330. 1825. 

 Meibomia paucijiora Kuntze, Rev. Gen. PI. 198. 



1891. 



Decumbent or ascending, more or less pubes- 

 cent with scattered hairs, i-3 long. Stipules 

 subulate, deciduous; leaves alternate, distant, 

 pctioled; leaflets ovate, obtuse or bluntly acu- 

 minate, pubescent, \'-T> long, the terminal one 

 rhomboid; racemes terminal or sometimes also 

 axillary, simple, few-flowered; calyx-lobes acute, 

 ciliate; corolla white (?), about 3" long; loment 

 i-4-jointed, the joints concave or straight on the 

 back, obliquely rounded below, larger than 

 those of the preceding species, uncinate-pubes- 

 cent; siipe slightly shorter than the pedicel. 



In woods, Ontario? and western New York to 

 Florida, west to Ohio, Arkansas and Louisiana. 

 July-Aug. 



