PULSE FAMILY. 107 



14. PHASE'OLUS, L. BEAN. 



[The ancient name of the Kidney Bean.] 



Calyx somewhat bilabiate,-the upper lid bifid or emarginate, the lower 0112 

 trifid. Keel (of the corolla) together with the stamens and style, spirally 

 twisted or incurved. Ovary stipitate, the stipe sheathed. Legume linear 

 or falcate, compressed or subterete, tipped with the base of the style, many- 

 seeded. Seeds reniform, with an oval-oblong kilum. Leaves trifoliolate. 



1. P. VULGA'RIS, Savi. Stern mostly volubile ; leaflets ovate acumi- 

 nate ; racemes solitary, pedunculate ; bracts as long as the calyx ; L- 

 guines nearly linear and straight, long-mucronate ; seeds reuiform. 

 COMMON PHASEOLUS. Kidney Bean. String Bean. Pole Bean. 



Ft: Haricot. Germ. Gemeine Bolme. Span. Fasoles. 



Root annual. Stem 4-6 or 8 feet long, slender, volubile and climbing (always twining, 

 against the sun W. S. E.) cr short and erect (in the bunch variety). Leaflets 2 - 4 or 5 

 inches long ; common petioles 1 -5 or 6 inches long. Racemes on stout peduncles 1-3 or 4 

 inches long. Corolla mostly white. Legume 3 - 6 inches long. Seeds more or less reni- 

 form, whitish, or of various colors. 



Gardens and lots : cultivated. Native of India. Fl. June - August. Fr. September. 



Obs. Yery generally cultivated for the table, both seeds and le- 

 gumes being eaten while young ; when mature, the seeds only. The 

 " baked beans " of New England, constitute a sort of national dish 

 among the descendants of the Pilgrims. 



The P. NANUS, L. Dwarf or Bunch Bean (with a short erect stem, 

 more acuminate leaflets, and larger bracts), is supposed to be only one 

 of the many varieties produced by long culture. 



2. P. LUNA'TUS, L. Stem volubile, smoothish ; leaflets obliquely- or 

 deltoid-ovate, acute ; racemes subpedunculate ; bracts shorter than the 

 calyx ; legumes broad, compressed, scymitar-form or somewhat lunate ; 

 seeds much compressed, broad. 



LUNATE PHASEOLUS. Lima Bean. Carolina Bean. 



Root annual. Stem 6-8 or 10 feet long, branching, slender, volubile and climbing. Leaf- 

 lets 2 -4 inches long ; common petioles 2-6 inches long. Racemes loose flowered, on pedun- 

 cles about two-thirds of an inch long. Corolla greenish-white, rather small. Legumes 

 2-3 inches long, and about an inch wide. Seeds few, large, flattish and mostly white. 



Gardens and lots : cultivated. Fl. July - August. Fr, September -October. 



Obs. This species (supposed to be a native of Bengal though gen- 

 erally named as if of South America,) affords a favorite dish, in the 

 latter part of summer, the large seeds only being used. Both species 

 are tender plants, impatient of cold, and killed by the slightest frost. 



15. BAPTIS'IA, Vent. FALSE INDIGO. 



[Greek, Baptizo, to dip, or dye ; from its coloring properties.") 



Calyx 4-5-toothed. Petals nearly equal, the keel-petals slightly 

 connected. Stamens 10, distinct. Legume ventricose, stipitate in the 

 persistent calyx, many-seeded. Herbs ; leaves mostly trifoliolate, turn- 

 ing bluish-black in drying. 



