992 ORNITHGPIS—ASTROLOBIUM. [CLASS XVII. ORDER ILI, 
GENUS XVII. ORNITHO'’PUS.—Lixn. Dird'sfoot. 
Nat. Ord. Papiniona'ceEm. LINN. 
Grn. Cuar. Calyx elongated, tubular, five toothed, unequal. Keel 
short, compressed. Stamens diadelphous. Legume elongated, 
curved, compressed, contracted at the joints, each joint single 
seeded, and separating equally, truncate at each end.—Name 
from ogvts, oe90s, a bird; and rovs, a foot; so called from the 
resemblance of the pod to a bird's foot. 
1. O. perpusil'lus, Linn, (Fig. 1151.) Common Bird’sfoot. Leaves 
pinnate, with from three to nine pairs of leaflets, and a terminal one; 
flowers capitate, bracteated, on a peduncle, longer than the leaves ; 
legumes curved upwards. 
English Botany, t. 369.—English Flora, vol. iii p. 290.—Hooker, 
British Flora, ed. 4. vol. i. p. 273 —Lindley, Synopsis, p. 87. 
foot tapering and fibrous. Stems numerous, from three inches to 
a foot and half long, procumbent, spreading, mostly simple, leafy, 
somewhat furrowed, and often downy. Leaves pinnate, downy, 
leaflets elliptic, ovate, in from three to twelve pairs, and an odd one 
mostly Jarger than the others. Stipules small, awl-shaped. or lanceo- 
late. Inflorescence three or four small flowers in a head in the axis 
of a bractea, pinnated in the form of a small leaf. Peduncle round, 
slender, longer than the leaves. Flowers small, pale pink, veined 
with crimson, the keel greenish. Calyx downy, campanulate, with 
ovate lanceolate teeth. Legumes downy, linear, compressed, curved, 
and contracted at each of the joints, when dry netted lengthwise with 
elevated lines, the hardened point about as long as the joint, each 
joixt is single seeded, and breaks off at each end in a truncated 
manner. 
Habitat.—Sandy banks and waste places; frequent in England, 
less common in Scotland. 
Annual ; flowering in June. . 
GENUS XVIII. ASTROLO’BIUM.—Desv. Joint Vetch. 
Nat. Ord. Papiriona’cEx. Linn. 
Gry. Cuar. Calyx elongated, tubular, five toothed, unequal. Keel 
short, compressed. Stamens diadelphous. Legumes elongated, 
curved, cylindrical, contracted at the joints, each joint single 
seeded, and separating with cylindrical truncated ends. 
1. A. ebractea'tum, De Cand. (Fig. 1152.) Sand Joint Vetch. 
Peduncles about as long as the leaves; stipules very minute ; leaves 
pinnated, with many pairs of equal elliptic oblong leaflets, the lower 
ones remote from the stem; legume cylindrical, curved; stem 
filiform. 
