LEGUMIN0S.E-PAPILI0NACE2E. 373 



constant, or which can distinguish it absolutely from the two other 

 suborders of Leguminosa. It may, however, be said, speaking 

 generally, that Papilionacece are curvembryate Leguminosa with an 

 inflexed accumbent radicle, compound stipulate leaves, resupinate 

 flowers, a concave floral receptacle, a gamosepalous calyx, and an 

 irregular corolla, so arranged in aestivation that the vexillary petal 

 envelopes the lateral ones, which themselves overlap the pieces of 

 the keel. These peculiar characters of the corolla long ago led to 

 the name Papilionacece [butterfly-like] being given to this group ; a 

 name found in most authors for a century before Tournefort, by 

 which this author distinguished two of his classes (10-22), and 

 which Linnaeus adopted for the title of an order. 1 But R. Brown-' 

 was the first to point out clear limits to the group Papilionacese in 

 the year 1814, and his limits have been, with slight modiiications, 

 adopted by his successors. 3 



The 293 genera that we admit in this group, omitting for the 

 moment all reference to a few doubtful or very ill-known generic 

 types, 4 comprise about 5300 species. 5 Twenty years ago only 4 SCO 6 

 were admitted, though the number of species doing double duty was 

 then multiplied indefinitely. Hence we may not unfairly assume 

 that in some years, about 5500 distinct species of Papilionaceae will 

 have been described. It is impossible to lay down their exact geo- 

 graphical distribution, with the very insufficient figures we have at 

 present. 7 But it may be stated generally that they occur in all 

 countries, from the equator to those bordering on either pole. 



1 Class. Plant. (1738), Ord. 55. — Papilio- 574, t. 230 {Tounatea ? ?) ;— 8. Badackia Endl., 

 nacecB and Lomentacece (Pral., ed. GlES., 415). in Ann. Wien. Mas., i. 186 (nom.). 



2 In Flind. Toy., ii. 551. 3 Thus divided according to the present state 



3 DC, Prodr., ii. (1825), 93-524— Endl., of knowledge : Videos, 207 ; Phaseolea, 561 ; 

 Gen., 1253, Ord. eclxxv. — Lindl., Veg. Kingd. Qalegece, 1377 ; Lotea, 105 ; Trifoliem, 311 ; 

 (1846), 544 {Fabacece).— B. H., Gen., 435, 437, lledysarea>, 618 ; Dalbergiece, 303 ; Genhtea, 

 465, 1001. 835 ; Podalyriece, 415 ; Sophoreee, 104 ; Tou- 



4 Viz. — 1. Bradburya Rafin., Fl. Lud., 104 nalere, 72. 



(Galactia, ex Endl., Gen., n. 6653); — 2. Cra- 6 This is the number given by Lindley (Veg. 



fordia Rafin., ex DC, Prodr., ii. 522 (Tepliro- Kingd., 556) in 1846, as the result of Ben- 



sia??); — 3. Malaparius Miq., Fl. Ind.-Bat.,\. tiiam's valuation, and is made up as follows: 



p. 1, 1082 (Pterocarpus flavm Lour., Fl. Coch., Podalyriece, 350; Lutea-, 3000; Hedysarece, 



ed. 1790, 431) ;— 4. Placoloblum Miq., op. cit., 500; Phaseolece, 650; Dalbergiece, 250; So- 



1082; — 5. Chanolobium Miq., op. cit, Suppl., phorrce, 50. 



i. 302 (a genus formed from fruit) ; — 6. Nothoc- "' See Lindl., Veg. Kingd., 546.— A. DC 



nestis Miq., op. cit., Suppl., i. 530; Mux. Lvgd.- Geogr. Bot. Pais., 133, 137,' 503-512, 530-538, 



Bat., iil_ 88 (Leguminosa dub., ex BBNXH. ; Con- 837, 854, 1193-1233. 

 naracea, ex Miq.); — 7. Sing ana Aubl., Guian., 



