LEGUMINOS^:. 



103 



flour to tliickeu gravies uuci souj)S ; it is also 

 horses. It constitutes a \ery iiiiiiortanl artitU 

 kitchou aud market warden. 



ground aud fed to cattle aud 

 of food, aud is fouud iu every 



PHASEOLUS, L. (Bean.) Calyx with 2 bracts at the base, bell- 

 shaped, somewhat "J-lipped, upper lip 2-parted, lower one 3-parted. 

 Keel of the corolla beaked, and, together with the stamens and style, 

 spirally twisted. I^egume, or pod, linear curved, flattened, or some- 

 what cylindrical; many-seeded; seeds kidney -shaped. Annual 

 herb. 



1 . P. vulgaris, Savi. (Pole Beau, Kiduey Beau, Haricot, String Bean.) Steii 

 4 to 10 feet long, sleuder, voluble, aud twiuiug always against the suu, oj 

 towards the west or 



southwest. J. eaves tri- 

 foliate, or a pair ot leaf- 

 lets aud a tenniual one, 

 couiuiou petiole 1 to 6 

 inches long. Flowers 

 white, iu racemes, ou 

 stout peduncles, 1 to 4 

 inches long. Pod 3 to 

 6 iuches long ; seeds 

 more or less kidney- 

 shaped, whitish, duU- 

 yellow, or mottled 



"N'ar. nanus, L. (Bush 

 Bean) is a dwarf, 

 with a short, erect, 

 branching stem 8 to 15 

 iuches high. Leaflets 

 sharp-pointed, aud 

 bracts larger than iu 

 the above ; otherwise 

 like P. vulgaris. 



2. P. lunatus, L. 

 (Lima Beau.) Stem as 

 iu P. vulgaris, except 

 longer and disjmsed to 

 branch more ; leaflets 

 larger, oblique or tri- 

 angular, 2 to 4 inclies 

 long, common petitde 



2 to 6 inches long, racemes loose. ])edicels short. Flowers greenish-white, 

 smaller bracts shnrter than the calyx. Pods 2 to :i iuches long, an iuch wide, 

 curved or in()on-sha|)ed. Seeds !-•;. large, flat, greenish, or white. Flowers 

 in July; fruits i?i August to Sejjteiidter, remauiiug till fro.st appears. 



Species. — The abi)ve are the species which have given ri.se to all the forms 

 now under cultivation. In the south of North America. Mexico, and the Wc't 

 India i.slauds, a small l.I;i(k l)ean. called turtle .st.u|. l.can. is largely cultivated, 

 especially by tliu S|(ilui^ll Americaus. 



Phasrolus vulgaris (String Bean). 



