THE PLUM FAMILY. 



-57 



priately called, can readily be known from the otiier wild plums with wiiich 

 it might be confused. 



THE niMOSA FAHILY. 



Mi, 



viosacccp. 



A group including trees, shrubs and herbs with mostly compound, 

 alternate leaves, commonly twice or thrice pinnate, and ngular, perfect 

 /lowers, luhich grow in heads, racemes, or spikes. 



SENSITIVE BRIER. GANDER TEETH. 



Morongia u/uinata. 



FAMILY 

 Jl ii/iosa. 



COLOUR 



Pinkisli luTende 



TIME OF BLOOM 

 May- A u^Uit . 



ODOUR RANGE 



J-rti^rant, Texas and J'/orida to 



North Carolina. 



FUnvcrs : small ; regular ; growing in round, dense heads on long, axillary 

 peduncles, either singly, or a few together; the peduncles beset with numerous, 

 sharp prickles pointed downward. Ca/yx : minute ; five toothed. Corolla: fun- 

 nel-shaped ; five-cleft. Stamens : eight to twelve. Leguines : slender ; covered 

 with short spines. Leaves : bi-pinnately divided and having eight to fifteen pairs 

 of minute, elliptic, oblique leaflets, obtuse at the apex and rounded at the base ; 

 ciliate ; sensitive ; the petioles covered with numerous, hooked prickles. Utetn : 

 grooved ; two to four feet long, decumbent and armed with prickles. 



As the barefooted mountaineer of the south strides in search of his liveli- 

 hood over many a sandy meadow, this small plant, shrinking and very pretty, 

 causes him deep annoyance. In return for being stepped on, it gets between 

 his toes and fastens there its innumerable little prickles. No mood is he 

 then in to see its beauty. He detests it. But to the wellshod flower seeker 

 it presents one of the sweetest, most unique personalities of all the native 

 plants. Like a ball of pinky fluff the tiny bloom hides among the grass 

 and when it is picked the curious leaflets show their sensitiveness to being 

 touched by folding together and clinging tightly with their prickles to the 

 fingers or clothing. It is a most difficult plant to handle. The bloom also 

 fades quickly while emitting a scent like that of hyacinths. 





Moronf. 



