CL. XVII.] 24). I.ATIIYllUS TUBEROSLS. ill 



are half arrow-shaped, by having the lower teelh reflex. The 

 leaf-stalks stand open, are at least half an inch long, angular, 

 and carry each two opposite, oblong, entire leaves, tajR'iing 

 at the base, somewhat rounded at the point, furnished with 

 an herbaceous spine, penetrated by many nerves and veins, 

 but in other respects smooth, and which are an inch long, and 

 rather more than half an inch broad. The leaf-stalk passes 

 above these leaves into divided crooked cirrhi. 



At the extremity of the shoots grow^ the flower-stalks, 

 about a finger in length, frequently still longer, without 

 leaves, smooth, roundish, and erect. The beautiful red flowers 

 stand in a six or eight blossomed bunch. The individual 

 flower-stalks stand open, are from three to four lines in length, 

 and have beneath them a linear stipula, wliich is about one 

 half shorter than the flower-stalks. 



The calyx is divided into five lanceolate teeth, two of svliich 

 commonly lie on the vexillum of the corolla, and three stand 

 beneath it. The corolla is papilionaceous. The vexillum is 

 emarginated, reflex, white in the centre, of a beautiful red 

 above, and marked wdth red streaks below. The aUe and the 

 carina, likewise of a beautiful red, are inferior to it. The 

 carina incloses a cylinder of filaments, one of which becomes 

 separated from the rest towards the vexillum. The other 

 nine are completely united : all of them carry round, yellow- 

 ish antherae. In the middle of tliem stands the longisli, 

 compressed germen, with the ciliated, broad pistillum, and a 

 yellow, roundish stigma. The fruit, which is superior to the 

 calyx, is an unilocular, two-lobcd, rather compressed legume, 

 which contains ten roundish seeds, fixed to one suture. 

 The embryon fills the whole seed with its two rounilish 

 strong cotyledons. 



Diagnosis and ^JjinKi/. 



This species cannot easily be confounded with any other. 

 It is true that in Lathyrus pratcnsis the cirrhus also springs 

 from tw^o opposite leaves ; but these leaves are lanceolate, laixr- 

 ing at tlie point, and the Howers are always yellow. In L. .sy//- 

 Vestrls Sindi lafj/oHus, also, the flowers lue red; but m ihr 



