142 SYLVA FLORIFERA. 



valves which form the legume, or bladder, are 

 so securely closed, as not even to allow the 

 confined air to escape. The upper side of 

 the valves is joined by two umbilical cords, 

 which first convey the impregnating farina 

 from the top of the pod to each of these little 

 vegetable eggs, after which their nourishment 

 enters the cord from the stem, until they 

 have acquired the power of becoming parents 

 to future shrubs. 



The oriental bladder senna, colutea cruenta, 

 was discovered in the Levant by Tournefort, 

 whose method of classifying plants stood un- 

 rivalled until the labours of Linnaeus ap- 

 peared. This plant, which is now common 

 in the shrubbery, was cultivated by Miller in 

 1731. Its flowers are smaller than the com- 

 mon sort, and of a dark-red colour marked 

 with yellow. 



The Levant colutea bears the name of Po- 

 cock's bladder senna, because the seeds were 

 first brought to England by the Rev. Dr. 

 Pocock, who gathered them in Turkey. 



This shrub seldom grows more than six or 

 seven feet high ; the branches are very slen- 

 der, and much more pliant than those of the 

 common sort, and therefore it grows less 

 erect. It is also distinguished from the com- 

 mon sort by the leaves being composed of 



