412 24. LATHYRUS TUBEROSUS. [CL. XVII. 



former they are more soiled, and the carina is green ; both 

 have leafy appendages on the stem and on the branches. The 

 leaves of L. sylvestris are about three inches long, and sharp- 

 ly tapered at their point. L. latifoUus has flowers of a rose- 

 red colour ; oblong, rounded leaves, with an herbaceous spine, 

 and these leaves arc also much larger than those of the other 

 species, and almost coriaceous. The stipulae are broad lan- 

 ceolate, and rather dentated. With other species it has still 

 less affinity. 



The genus Lathyrus has a very distinct character in the 

 flat pistillum, although in other respects it is nearly related to 

 Vicia, which, however, is distinguished by the hairs of the 

 roundish pistillum ; and Orohus^ which is related to both of 

 them, is distinguished only by the want of cirrhi. These ge- 

 nera belong to the natural family of leguminous plants, which 

 stand between the Polygalea? and Capparideas ; (An. 2. vid. 

 740.J 



Synonymes and Figures. 



Apios, Fuchs, 131. Dalech. 1596. 

 Pseudoapios, Matth. ed. Bauh. 876. 

 Terrae glandes, Dodon. 550. Lobel Ic. 2. 70. Ger. Emac, 



1237. 

 Cham^ebalanus, Tahern. 891. J. Bauh, Hist. 2. 328. 

 Arachydna Theophrasti, Column. Ecphr. 1. p. 304. t. 301. 

 Lathyrus arvensis. Park. Theatr. 1061, radice tuberosa, 



Moris, sect. 2. t. 2. Riv. Tdrapet. Irreg, 

 J., tuberosus, Linn. IVilld. Sp. PI. 3. 1088. Fl. Dan. 1463. 



peograpliiQcd Distribution. 



It is as yet completely unknown according to what laws 

 this plant is distributed. We find it so dispersed from 30"* 

 to 56^ N. Lat. in the Old World, that some countries have it, 

 whilst others, lymg in the same latitude, want it. Thus, it 

 is very conmion on the north coast of Africa ; on the other 

 liand, it is wanting in Greece and Asia Minor : it is found in 

 '^Fauris and Transylvania, in Germany, France, and Poland ; 

 but is wanting in Sweden and Great Britain. In Denmark 



