17ft LEGUMINOSiE. Desmodium. 



^ 1. Slamens wholly or partly monadelphcms : calyx toothed or nearly entire : leffume stipitate. 



1. Desmodium nudiflorum, DC. Naked-Jhwered Desmodium. 



Stem erect, simple, leafy at the summit ; leaflets broadly ovate ; raceme much longer than 

 the stem, proceeding from its base, scape-like, usually naked ; stamens perfectly monadel- 

 phous ; calyx broadly campanulate, upper lip entire, the lower slightly 3-toothed ; legumes 

 on a very long stipe, straight on the back, of 2 - 4 obtusely triangular joints. — DC. prodr. 2. 

 p. 330 ; Hook. fl. Bar. -Am. 1. js. 154 ; Beck, hot. p. 85 ; Darlingt. fl. Cest. p. 418 ; Torr. 

 ^ Gr. fl. N. Am. 1. p. 358. Hedysarum nudiflorum, Linn. ; Michx. fl. 2. p. 71 ; Pursh, 

 fl. 2. p. 483 ; Ell. sk. 2. p. 209 ; Bigel. fl. Bost. p. 275. 



Stem 6-12 inches high, pubescent. Leaflets 2-3 inches long, a little glaucous under- 

 neath, slightly acuminate, the margin finely ciliate. Stipules subulate, caducous. Scape arising 

 from near the root, 1^-3 feet high, curved at the base, and then ascending some distance 

 from the leafy stem ; not unfrequently furnished with one or more small trifoliolate leaves. 

 Panicle racemose ; the flowers on slender pedicels 5-10 lines in length, which are sometimes 

 in pairs. Calyx a little pubescent, the border at length spreading ; lowest tooth small, acute ; 

 the other teeth obscure or obsolete. Corolla bright purple ; the keel pale : vexillum with 

 two dark spots near the base. Legume mostly 2 - 3-joinled, slightly pubescent ; lower angle 

 of the joints rounded : stipe slender, nearly sm inch long. 



Dry woods ; common. July - August. 



2. Desmodium acuminatum, DC. Pointedr-kaved Desmodium, 



Stem erect, simple, leafj' at the summit ; leaves on verj' long petioles ; leaflets conspicuous- 

 ly acuminate, broadly ovate or roundish ; panicle terminal, on a long naked peduncle ; calyx 

 campanulate ; upper lip obtuse, slightly emarginate ; lower lip 3-lobed ; stamens monadelphous 

 below the middle ; joints of the legume 2-3, semioval. — DC. prodr. 2. p. 329 ; Hook. fl. 

 Bor.-Am. I. p 154 ; Beck, hot. p. 85 ; Darlingt. fl. Cest. p. il7 ; Torr. ^ Gr. fl. N. Am. 

 1. p. 358. Hedysarum acuminatum, Linn. ; Michx. fl. I. p. 72; Pursh, fl. 2. p. 48 ; Ell. 

 sk. 2. p. 209 ; Bigel. fl. Bost. p. 275. H. glulinosum, Willd. sp. 3. p. 1198. 



Stem about a foot high, nearly smooth, or sprinkled with soft hairs. Leaflets 2 — 4 inches 

 long, thin and membranaceous : petioles 2-6 inches long. Stipules subulate, hairy. Fhiwers 

 in a long racemose slender panicle ; the peduncle a foot or more in length ; pedicels 2—4 

 lines long. Flowers pale purple, not turning green in decay. Teeth of the calj'x much 

 deeper than in the preceding species. Legume with large joints ; the stipe about as long as 

 the pedicel. 



Fertile woods ; common. July. 



