LEGUMINOS^E 389 



or indented on the sides, as in Anthyllis Vulneraria (fig. 273). 

 The first three leaves at least of the latter species are elliptic 

 and entire. An exception to the prevalent form occurs in 

 Lotus peliorhynchus, where the cotyledons are linear or linear- 

 oblong, and the first leaf is digitate with five narrowly linear 

 hairy leaflets. A more remarkable deviation, not only from the 

 type in the tribe, but from the Papilionacea3 generally, occurs in 

 Lotus Tetragonolobus, where the cotyledons are broadly oblong 

 and cordate at the base. The leaves are pinnately trifoliolate 

 from the first. Instead of one axis taking the lead in this 

 species, two stems, apparently of equal strength, are developed, 

 together with a pair of smaller ones, as if the plumule before or 

 during germination divided into four. This was so in the case 

 of seventy-six out of one hundred and nine seedlings observed. 

 It is most probable, however, that the supernumerary axes 

 arise from the axils of the cotyledons. A similar thing takes 

 place in L. biflorus, where four or more axes are developed at 

 an early stage of the seedling. A better illustration is afforded 

 by L. peliorhynchus, where the primary axis becomes decum- 

 bent, but maintains its supremacy while other axes vary- 

 ing in number from three to seven spring up in succes- 

 sion, apparently by adventitious budding from the same 

 level as the primary. one or even below it, displacing the 

 latter. 



Tribe Galegecs. A large number of species belonging to 

 this tribe have cotyledons of the prevailing type of the Order. 

 A number of them resemble those of the Trifolieae generally in 

 being narrowly oblong ; and a good proportion recall Laburnum 

 by the cotyledons being indented on the sides. Narrowly 

 oblong types are represented by Indigofera australis (fig. 274) 

 and other species, also by Galega officinalis, Carmichaelia pilosa, 

 Sesbania segyptiaca, S. coccinea, and Swainsonia oncinotropis. 

 The elongated and oblong-spathulate cotyledons of the latter 

 appear to be due to growth after germination. A curious case 

 occurs in Sesbania coccinea, where the cotyledons have an inter- 

 petiolar, subulate stipule. Out of thirty seedlings twenty-one 

 had the first pair of leaves simple and opposite, while the other 

 nine had the first leaf only simple. The solitary leaflet always 

 terminated the petiole, but from the third leaf onwards the 



