LEQUMINIFER^. 105 



branched, 1 to 3 feet long. Leaflets on young plants oval, i to 

 I inch long ; on mature specimens narrower, and f to IJ inch long, 

 very acute at the apex. Stipules nearly as long as the petiole 

 exclusive of the tendril. Peduncles 1-| to 8 inches long, terminating 

 in a compact somewhat unilateral raceme, 1 to 2 inches long. 

 Flowers bright-yeUow, | to | inch long ; standard with the lamina 

 sub-orbicular, spreading at right angles to the claw and having 

 the sides reflexed, longer than the wings and keel. Style not 

 twisted. Pods sessile, 1 to 1^ inch long, sometimes slightly curved 

 upwards, reticulated with oblique anastomosing veins on tlie sides, 

 clothed with short curled white hairs when young, turning black 

 and frequently becoming glabrous when ripe. Seeds globular, 

 smooth, dim, dark-brown, or yeUowish-olive marbled with black, 

 hilum oblong, one-sixth the circumference of the seed. Plant 

 pea-green, slightly glaucous, sparingly clothed with short adpressed 

 hairs. 



Meadow Vetchling. 



French, Gesse des Pres. German, Wiesen PlaMerbse. 



This species has been recommended as a new plant for experimental agriculturists, 

 and premiums have been offered for its cultivation. It does not, however, seem to be 

 very palatable to cattle, for they prefer any other fodder that is within their reach. 

 Usually the Vetchling is regarded only as a noxious weed; and Parkinson tells us that 

 it was called " the Ramping Wild Vetch by the country people, because it is the most 

 pernicious herbe that can grow on the earth, killing and strangling corne or any other 

 good herbe it shall grow by." Jlost farmers on moist lands would probably be of his 

 opinion, aa it runs very much, and is very difficult to extirpate. 



SPECIES V.-L AT HYR US TUBEROSUS. Unn. 

 Plate CCCCI. 



Rootstock extensively creeping, furnished with sessile ovate- 

 ovoid tubers. Stem climbing or trailing, not winged. Leaves with 

 1 pair of obovate-oval rounded apiculate leaflets ; common petiole 

 terminating in a branched tendril. Stipules small, lanceolate-acute, 

 half-sagittate at the base with a slender acute avtricle. Peduncles 

 axillary, longer than the leaves, 2- to 5-flowered. Plowers spread- 

 ing, in a lax raceme. Calyx-teeth triangular, unequal, about as 

 long as the tube. Corolla more than three times as long as the 

 calyx. Pods sub-cylindrical, glabrous. 



In cornfields and round their borders. Very local. Known to 

 occur only about Fyfield, near Chipping Ongar, Essex, where it 

 was first discovered by Mr. Corder in 1859 ; but the farmers in the 

 neighbourhood had noticed it for about sixty years. The Eev. 

 W. W. Newbould has found specimens in the Sloane Herbarium in 

 the British Museum, gathered by the Ptev. J. Sedgwick in the 



VOL. in. p 



