Desmodium. LEGtJMINOS^. 181 



slightly hispid ; legume of 3 - 5 triangular-rhomboid joints. — DC. prodr. 2. p. 329 ; Beck, 

 bot. p. 85 ; Darlingt. fl. Cest. p. 411 ; Torr. <^ Gr. Jl. N. Am. 1. p. 363. Hedysarum 

 paniculatum, Linn. sp. 2. p. 748 ; Pursh, fl. 2. p. 483 ; Ell. sk. 2. p. 210 ; Bigel. Jl. East, 

 p. 27G ; Torr. compend. p. 269. 



Stems 2-3 feet high, often clustered. Leaflets 1-3 inches long, often lanceolate, and 

 the lower ones sometimes oval-oblong, rather thin, bright green, and often a little shining 

 above : common petiole from half an inch to an inch in length. Panicle loose, widely spread- 

 ing ; the flowers small, purple. Calyx pubescent ; upper lip emarginate ; lower tooth much 

 the longest. Legume about three-fourths of an inch long, raised on a short stipe ; the joints 

 considerably larger than in the preceding species, distinctly angled on the back. 



Dry woods, copses and liill-sides ; very common. August. 



12. Desmodium rotundifolium, DC. Round-lea/ved Desmodium. 



Stem prostrate, hairy ; leaflets orbicular, pubescent ; stipules (large) broadly ovate, acumi- 

 nate, reflexed, persistent ; racemes axillary and terminal ; calyx deeply and somewhat equally 

 4-cleft, the upper segment 2-toothed ; legumes almost equally sinuate on both edges, of 3 - 6 

 rhomboid-oval joints. — DC. prodr. 2. p. 330 ; Beck, bot. p. 85 ; Darlingt. fl. Cest. p. 418 ; 

 Torr. 4- Gr. Jl. N. Am. 1. p. 364. Hedysarum rotundifolium, MicJix.fl. 2. p. 72; Pursh, 

 fl. 2. p. 484 ; Ell. sk. 2. p. 213 ; Bigel. fl. Bost. p. 274. 



Stem a little branching, 2-4 feet long, striate, clothed with brownish spreading or retrorse 

 hairs. Leaflets 1-2 inches in diameter, thin, strigosely hairy on both sides ; terminal one 

 obtusely cuneate at the base. Petiole 1-1^ inch long. Racemes few-flowered, pedunculate : 

 pedicels slender, about half an inch long ; the terminal ones often panicled. Calyx smoothish, 

 except the lower lip, which is hairy : segments narrow, acute. Corolla violet-purple. Le- 

 gume about an inch in length, on a stipe longer than the calyx, commonly 4 - 5-jointed, very 

 hispid. 



Dry open woods, and on rocky hill-sides. August. 



18. LESPEDEZA. Michx. fl. 2. p. 70. t. 39 4- 40 ; Endl. gen. 6623. lespedeza. 



[Dedicated to Lespedez, a Spanish governor of Florida, who assisted Michaux in his exploration of that country.] 



Calyx with 2 persistent bracteoles at the base, deeply 5-cleft. Corolla inserted into the base 

 of the calyx : vexillum roundish or oblong : wings nearly straight, as long as the very 

 obtuse keel. Stamens diadelphous (9 & 1) : anthers uniform. Style filiform in the petali- 

 ferous flowers ; short and hooked in the apetalous. Legume lenticular, mostly flat, reticu- 

 lated, unarmed, indehiscent, one-seeded, usually clothed with short hairs. — Perennial herbs 

 or suflfrutescent plants, with pinnately trifoliolate reticulate leaves. Stipules minute, subu- 



