118 THE PEAFLOWER TRIBE. [Astragalus. 



ground to the length of 2 feet or even more. Stipules free. Leaflets 

 11, 13, or more, ovate, 1 to 1 inches long, the common leafstalk fully 

 6 inches long. Flowers about 6 or 7 lines long, of a dingy yellow, 

 spreading or pendulous, in racemes rather shorter than the leaves. 

 Pods erect, curved, glabrous, above an inch long, completely divided 

 into 2 cells by a thin double partition, with 6 to 8 seeds in each half. 



In rather dry, open woods, and bushy places, over the greater part 

 of Europe and Russian Asia, except the extreme north. Not common 

 in Britain, although it ranges over a great part of England, especially 

 the eastern counties, and southern Scotland, rarer in the north ; not 

 recorded from Ireland. Fl. summer. 



XII. OXYTROPIS. OXYTROPE. 



Low, tufted perennials, only differing from Astragalus in the keel, 

 which has a small point at its extremity, either erect or slightly recurved, 

 and in the pod, which has an incomplete longitudinal partition project- 

 ing into the cavity from the angle next the vexillum (the one which 

 bears the seeds), not from the angle next the keel. 



A considerable genus, but not so numerous nor so widely spread as 

 Astragalus, and chiefly confined to mountain stations or high latitudes 

 in Europe, Asia, and North America. 



Flowers yellowish 1.0. campestris. 



Flowers purple 2. 0. uralensis. 



1. 0. campestris, DC. (fig. 272). Yellow 0. Stock short and 

 tufted, covered with the old stipules and leafstalks, seldom lengthening 

 into shortly ascending branches ; the leaves and peduncles usually pro- 

 ceeding from the stock. Leaflets 10 to 15 pairs, with an odd one, 

 oblong or lanceolate, and hairy ; the common leafstalk 2 or 3 inches 

 long. Peduncles rather longer, with a short spike of pale yellow flowers 

 tinged with purple. Calyx hairy, 4 or 5 lines long ; corolla twice that 

 length ; the point of the keel short, straight, and erect. Pod erect, 

 ovoid, covered with short, usually black, hairs ; the partition projecting 

 to about the centre of the cavity. 



In mountain pastures, and on alpine rocks, common in the great moun- 

 tain-ranges and Arctic regions of Europe, Russian Asia, and northern 

 America. In Britain only in one spot, among the Clova mountains of 

 Scotland. Fl. summer. 



2. O. uralensis, DC. (fig. 273). Purple 0. Stock short and tufted, 

 with the foliage, inflorescence, and pod of 0. campestris, but the whole 

 plant is much more densely covered with soft, silky hairs ; the flowers 

 are of a bright purple, and the pod is more completely divided into 

 2 cells. The point of the keel is short and straight, as in 0. cam- 

 pestris. 



In mountain pastures, in central Europe and Russian Asia, descending 

 to a low level in the north, and penetrating far into the Arctic regions. 

 Not uncommon in Scotland, in dry, hilly pastures, chiefly near the sea, 

 but does not descend to England. Fl. summer. 



XIII. ORNITHOPUS. BIRD'S-FOOT. 



Slender, spreading annuals, with pinnate leaves and axillary pe- 

 duncles, bearing a head or umbel of small pink or white flowers. Calyx 



