VOL. II.] 



PEA FAMILY. 



317 



Hoary Tick-trefoil. (Fig. 2179.) 



10. Meibomia canescens (L,.) Kuntze. 



Hedysarum canescens L,. Sp. PI. 748. 1753- 

 Desmodium canescens DC. Prodr. 2: 328. 1825. 

 M. canescens Kuntze, Rev. Gen. PI. 195. 1891. 



Erect, much branched, densely short- or vil- 

 lous-pubesceut, 3~5 high. Stipules ovate, acu- 

 minate, somewhat cordate, persistent; leaves 

 petioled; leaflets ovate, obtuse or acutish, \ f -\ f 

 long, scabrous above, pubescent beneath, cili- 

 ate, the terminal one commonly rhomboid and 

 larger than the lateral ones; racemes terminal, 

 compound; bracts deciduous; upper lobe of the 

 calyx 2-toothed, the others attenuate; flowers 

 2 // -2^ // long; loment 4-6 jointed, joints longer 

 than wide, unequally rhomboid, 4 // -6 // long; 

 stipe about equalling the upper lobe of the calyx. 



In rich soil Ontario to Massachusetts, Florida, 

 Minnesota and Texas. July-Sept. 



Meibomia canescens hirsuta ( Hook. ) Vail, Bull. 



Torr. Club, 19: in. 1892. 

 Desmodium Canadensevax. hirsuta Hook. Comp. 



Bot. Mag. i: 23. 1835. 



Stem and branches more densely villous-pubes- 

 cent; leaflets narrower. Missouri. 



ii. Meibomia longifolia (T.&G.) Vail. 

 Long-leaved Tick- trefoil. (Fig. 2180.) 



Desmodium Canadense var. longifolium T. & G. 



Fl. N. A. 1:365. 1838. 

 Meibomia longifolia Vail, Bull. Torr. Club, 23: 140. 



1896. 



Erect, 2-5 high, the angled stems and pani- 

 cle minutely pubescent. Stipules lanceolate- 

 setaceous, deciduous or persistent; leaves pe- 

 tioled; leaflets 2 / -5 / long, lanceolate-ovate or 

 ovate, cuspidate, scabrate or rugose above, 

 lighter, appressed-pubescent or villous beneath; 

 flowers showy, purple; bracts deciduous; the up- 

 per calyx-lobe 2-toothed, the lower ones attenu- 

 ate; loment i'-3' long, 4-6 jointed the joints 

 triangular-oblong, or lozenge-shaped, uucinate- 

 pubescent throughout; stipe about the length of 

 the calyx-lobes. 



In rich soil and low woods, Illinois to Louisiana 

 and Alabama. June-Sept. 



12. Meibomia bracteosa (Michx.) Kuntze. 

 Large-bracted Tick-trefoil. ( Fig. 2181.) 



Hedysarum bracteosum Michx. Fl. Bor. Am. 2: 73. 1803. 

 Desmodium bracteosum DC. Prodr. 2: 329. 1825. 

 Desmodium cuspidatum Hook. Comp. Bot. Mag. i: 23. 



1835- 

 Meibomia bracteosa Kuntze, Rev. Gen. PI. 195. 1891. 



Erect, 3-6 high, glabrous or nearly so below, 

 the panicle finely pubescent. Stipules lanceolate, 

 cuspidate, somewhat cordate, deciduous or persis- 

 tent; leaves petioled; leaflets 2 / -8 / long, ovate or 

 ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, glabrous or very nearly 

 so; flowers large, purple, 4 // -5 // long; bracts decid- 

 uous, cuspidate, striate; calyx deeply 2-lipped, the 

 upper lobe 2-toothed, the others acute; loment i'- 

 3' long, 3-7-jointed, the joints obliquely-oblong, 

 about twice as long as wide, uncinate-pubescent, 

 especially on the sutures; stipe about the length of 

 the lower calyx-lobes. 



In thickets, Ontario to Minnesota, Florida, Missouri 

 and Texas. Aug. -Sept. 



