FABACEJE, OR LEGUMINOSJE. 



fi, ind. iii. 283. (Rheede viii. t. 35. Rumph.\\. t. 142.) 

 Hedges and banks all over the East Indies. 



Leaflets hairy underneath ; the middle one rhomboidal and obtuse, 

 the lateral ones dilated on the outer edge. Flowers purple, in compact 

 ovate racemes. Teeth of the calyx short, triangular. Legumes oblong, 

 curved, compressed, not keeled, covered all over with a thick coating 

 of erect, white, stinging hairs, which usually turn black in drying and 

 brown when ripe. 



526. M. pruriens D C. prodr. ii. 405. Macfad. fl.jam. i. 294. 

 Sot. reg. 1838. t. 18. Dolichos pruriens Linn. sp. pi. 1020. 

 Jacq. amer. 201. t. 122. S. and C. iii. t. 179. Common in 

 woods in the West Indies, along river courses, upon fences, and 

 in waste neglected places. 



Leaflets entire, ovate, acute, smooth above, hairy beneath ; the lateral 

 ones oblique at the base, the middle one slightly rhomboidal. Racemes 

 lax, many-flowered, interrupted, 1-1^ foot long. Calyx hairy, pink, 

 with narrow lanceolate segments. Flowers with a disagreeable alliaceous 

 smell ; vexillum flesh-coloured, wings purple or violet, keel greenish 

 white. Legume about 3 inches long, the thickness of the finger, 

 closely covered with strong, brown, stinging hairs. Seeds oblong, 

 variegated, with a white hilum. The hairs of these two species con- 

 stitute the substance called Cowitch, a mechanical anthelmintic. It is 

 administered in mixture with thick syrup, honey or some such substance, 

 in doses of a dessert spoonful, and should be followed by a brisk 

 purgative. 



BUTEA. 



Calyx campanulate, bilabiate ; upper lip almost entire ; lower 

 3-fid. Corolla papilionaceous ; petals equally long : vexillum 

 ovate, recurved : keel and alae incurved. Stamens diadelphous. 

 Style ascending. Stigma small, glandular. Legume stalked, 

 compressed, thin, membranous, with a large solitary compressed 

 seed at the apex. Unarmed trees or twining shrubs. Leaves 

 pinnately 3-foliolate ; leaflets large, roundish- ovate, pubescent 

 or tomentose on the under side, with partial stipules. Racemes 

 many-flowered. Flowers in threes, pedicelled, with 2 bracteoles 

 at or near the base of the calyx. W. and A. 



527. B. frondosa Roxb. corom. i. t. 21. fl. ind. iii. 244. DC. 

 prodr. ii. 415. W. and A. i. 261. Erythrina monosperma 

 Lam. encyc. i. 391. (Rheede vi. 1. 16. and 17.) Circars, Tra- 

 vancore, Negapatam. 



A tree. Branches very irregularly bent in various directions. Young 

 shoots downy. Leaves alternate, spreading, ternate, from 8 to 16 inches 

 long ; leaflets* emarginate, or rounded at the apex, leathery, above shining, 

 and pretty smooth^ below slightly hoary, en tire, the lateral ones obliquely 

 oval, from 4 to 6 inches long, and from 3 to 4| broad, the terminal one 

 obovate, and considerably larger. Petiole round, when young downy, 

 as long as the leaflets. Stipules of the petioles small, recurved, downy, 

 those of the leaflets subulate. Racemes terminal, axillary, forming 

 tuberosities over the naked woody branchlets, rigid, covered with a 



254 



