FLORA OF THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. 235 



occasionally a few flowers oa short pedicels in the upper axils. Flow- 

 ers yellow, 6" long. Two of the anthers large, oblong, 4 or 5 others 

 like them, but smaller, the three uppermost small and sterile. Pod 

 linear, slightly curved, 3' -5' long, about 3" broad, at first flat with 

 the edges thickened, but becoming at length nearly as thick as broad. 



Becoming rather common in waste places. Widely dispersed, as a weed, over the 

 warmer regions of the globe, especlallj^ in America and Africa. 



One or more species of Bauhinia (which belongs to this suborder, and is known by liav- 

 Ing hut a single leaflet, deeply lobed at the summit, or sometimes almost divided), are a 

 good deal cultivated for their very showy flowers. 



19. MIMOSA Linn. 



Sepals 3, 4, 5, or 6, usually minute, free or shortly united. Petals 



of the same number, more or less united, valvate. Stamens equalling 



the petals in number, or usually twice as many, free, exserted. Ovary 



sessile or rarely stipitate, 2 - many ovuled ; style flliform. Pod oblong 



or linear, usually flattened, 2-valved, continuous or jointed. Seeds 



ovate or orbicular, flat. — Herbs or shrubs, rarely tall climbers or 



trees, armed or unarmed. Leaves bipinnate, usually sensitive, or 



rarely none and the petiole phyllodious. Heads on axillary peduncles. 



Elowers small 



A large genus, especially abundant in the warm parts of America, but also distributed 

 throughout the tropics . 



1. M. puDiCA Linn. Stem herbaceous or suffrutescent, spreading, 

 one to several feet long, hairy or glabrate, armed with infrastipular 

 and scattered prickles. Pinnse usually two pairs, about as long as the 

 petiole. Pinnules 15-25 pairs, oblong-linear, pointed, ciliate with ap- 

 pressed bristles, glabrescent, 3" -6" long. Elowers heads ovoid. 

 Calyx abortive. Pod oblong, sinuate, 2-5-seeded; valves jointed, 

 glabrous, unarmed ; border armed with spreading prickles. 



In waste places, open fields, &c. Doubtless introduced. Common in most parts of the 

 tropics as an introduced weed, though probably Indigenous to Brazil. Known generally 

 as the Sensitive Plant, on account of the leaves shutting up quickly when irritated. 



20. ACACIA Willd. [Koa.] 

 Calyx^teeth or lobes 3, 4, or 5, or entirely separate, or rarely al- 

 most obliterated. Petals of the same number, usually more or less 

 joined, rarely none. Stamens indefinite, usually more than 50 (some- 

 times as many as 400), exserted, free or shortly joined at the base. 

 Ovary sessile or stipitate, few -many ovuled; style filiform. Pod 

 ovate-oblong or linear, straight, curved, or variously twisted, flat or 

 nearly or quite terete, membranaceous, coriaceous, or ligneous, 2- 

 valved or indehiscent, continuous within, or divided in various man- 

 ners, rarely breaking up in joints. Seeds lying transversely or length- 



