78 



N. Ord. LEGUMINOS^E. 

 Tribe Phaseolete. 



Genus Mucuna,* Adans. B. & H., Gen., i, p. 533. Baill., 

 Hist. PL, ii, p. 248. Species about 22, natives of tropical 

 countries in both hemispheres. 



78. Mucuna pruriens,f DC. Prod., a, p. 405 (1825). 



Cowhage. 



Syn. Dolichos pruriens, Linn. Stizolobium pruriens, Pers. Mucuna 

 prurita, Hook. Carpopogon pruriens, Roxb. 



Figures. Woodville, t. 153; Steph. & Ch., t. 179; Jacquin, Ic. Americ., 

 t. 122; Wight, Ic., t. 280 ; Bot. Register, 1858, t. 18; Bot. Miscell., 

 ii, Supp., t. 13; Fl. Brasil. fasc. 24, t. 46,. f. 2. 



Description. A large half-woody twiner, with long slender 

 cylindrical branches, at first covered with short reflexed hairs, 

 afterwards nearly smooth. Leaves alternate, pinnately trifoliolate, 

 on hairy petioles 6 12 inches long, stipules small, lanceolate; leaflets 

 on short, thick, hairy stalks, with setaceous stipellae at their base, 

 6 8 inches long, the terminal one the smallest, rhomboid-ovate, 

 the lateral ones broadly ovate, very unequal at the base, the lower 

 side being much expanded, all acute or acuminate, entire, mem- 

 branous, green on both surfaces, nearly smooth above, covered 

 below with adpressed white hairs, especially abundant on the 

 prominent veins. Flowers large, shortly stalked, in clusters of 

 two or three together, in a pendulous, long-stalked, axillary raceme 

 a foot or more in length, rachis and pedicels pilose, bracts \ an inch 

 long, lanceolate, densely hairy, falling before the flowering period. 

 Calyx cup-shaped, silky externally, deeply cleft in a somewhat 

 two-lipped manner, the two upper segments being perfectly united 

 to form a single triangular one, and the lower three lanceolate, 

 subulate, the middle one the longest. Corolla papilionaceous, 



* Mucuna "is the Brazilian name of a species mentioned in 1648 by 

 Marcgraf." 



f Pruriens, itching, from the effects of the hairs on the skin. 



