94 PULSE FAMILY. 



37. LEGUMINOSJE, PULSE FAMILY. 



Distinguished by the papilionaceous corolla (Lessons, p. 105, fig. 

 217, 218), usually accompanied by 10 monadelphous or diadelphous 

 or rarely distinct stamens (Lessons, p. 112, fig. 227, 228), and the 

 legume (Lessons, p. 131, fig. 303, 304). These characters are com- 

 bined in the proper Pulse Family. In the two other great divisions 

 the corolla becomes less papilionaceous or wholly regular. Alternate 

 leaves, chiefly compound, entire leaflets, and stipules are almost uni- 

 versal in (his great order. 



I. PULSE FAMILY PROPER. Flower (always on the plan 

 of 5, and stamens not exceeding 10) truly papilionaceous, i. e. the 

 standard outside of and in the bud enwrapping the other petals, or 

 only the standard present in Amorpha. (For the terms used to 

 denote the parts of this sort of corolla see Lessons, p. 105.) Sepals 

 united more or less into a tube or cup. Leaves never twice com- 

 pound. 



A. Stamens monadeJphous or diadelphous. 



<j 1. Serbs, shrubs, or one a small tree, never twining, trailing, nor tendril-bearing, 

 witli leaves simple or of 'A or mure digitate leaflets, monadelphous stamens, and 

 the alternate Jice anthers differing in size and shape, from the other Jive: pod 

 usually several-seeded. 



1. LUPINUS. Leaves of several leaflets, in one species simple : stipules adherent 



to the base of the petiole. Flowers in a long thick raceme. Calyx deeply 

 2-lipped. Corolla of peculiar shape, the sides of the rounded standard being 

 rolled backwards, and the wings lightly cohering over and enclosing the nar- 

 row and incurved scythe-shaped or sickle-shaped keel. Pod flat. Mostly 

 herbs. 



2. CROTALARIA. Leaves in our species simple, and with foliaceous stipules 



free from the petiole but running down on the stem. Calyx 6-lobed. Keel 

 scythe-shaped, pointed. Stamens wiih the tube of filaments split down on 

 the upper side. Pod inflated. Ours herbs. 



3. GENISTA. Leaves simple and entire: stipules very minute or none. Calyx 



6-cleft. Keel oblong, nearly straight, blunt, turned down when the flower 

 opens. Pod mostly Hat. Low shrubby plants. 



4. CYl'ISUS. Leaves of one or three leaflets, or the green branches sometimes 



leafless: stipules minute or wanting. Calyx 2-lipped or 5-toothed. Keel 

 straight or somewhat curved, blunt, soon turned down. Style incurved or 

 even coiled up after the flower opens. Pod flat. Seeds with a fleshy or 

 scale-like appendage (strophiole) at the scar. Low shrubby plants. 



6. LABURNUM. Leaves of three leaflets: stipules inconspicuous or wanting. 



Calj r x with 2 short lips, the upper lip notched. Keel incurved, not pointed. 

 Ovary and flat pod somewhat stalked in the calyx. Seeds naked at the scar. 

 Trees or shrubs, with golden yellow flowers in long hanging racemes. 



$ 2. Herbs, never twining nor tendril-bearing, with leaves of 3 leaflets (rarely mart 

 but then digitate), their margins commonly more or less toothed (which it 

 remarkable in this family): stipules conspicuous and united with the base (f the 

 petiole (Lessons, p. 69, fig. 136): stamens diadelphous: pod I -few-seeded, 

 never divided across into joints. 



* Leaves pinnately 3-foliolale, as is seen by the end leaflet being jointed with the com- 

 mon petiole above the side leaflets. 



& TRIGONELLA. Herbage odorous. Flowers (in the common cult, species) 

 single and nearly sessile in the axil of the leaves. Pod elongated, oblong or 

 linear, tapering into a long-pointed apex. 



7. MED1CAGO. Flowers small, in spikes, heads, &c. Corolla short, not united 



with the tube of stamens. Pod curved or coiled up, at least kidney-shaped. 



8. MEL1LOTUS. Herbage sweet-scented. Flowers small, in slender racemes. 



Corolla as in Medicago. Pod small, but exceeding the calyx, globular, 

 wrinkled, closed, 1-2-seeded. 



