PAPILIONACE^. 173 



times as long as the calyx. Pod shortly stalked within the calyx, ovoid, 

 erect, hairy, seldom 6 lines long, and completely divided by a longitudinal 

 partition into 2 cells, usually vrith only one seed in each cell. 



On dry hilly pastures, in "central and northern Europe, Eussian Asia, and 

 northern America, but not an Arctic plant. In Britain, chiefly in eastera, 

 central, and northern England, and southern Scotland ; in Ireland, only indi- 

 cated on the south islands of Arran on the veest coast. Fl. smnmer. 



2. Alpine Astragal. Astragalus alpinus, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. Siippl. t. 2717.) 



A small, prostrate, shghtly hairy perennial, the stems branching at the base, 

 a few inches or rarely nearly a foot long. Stipules sUghtly connected with 

 the leafstalk, but quite free from each other. Leaflets 8 to 12 pairs, with an 

 odd one, ovate or oblong. Flowers drooping, of a bluish pm-ple, or wliite 

 tipped with purple, in short close racemes, on rather long peduncles ; the 

 calyx Uttle more than 1 hne ; the corolla about 5 lines long, with petals 

 broader in proportion than in the purple A. Pod pendulous, about 6 lines 

 long, on a stalk about the length of the calyx, covered with short black 

 hairs, and partially divided inside by a narrow projection from the side next 

 the keel. Seeds 3 to 6. 



An alpine plant, common in the great mountain-ranges of central and 

 northern Europe and Eussian Asia, and extending far into the Arctic 

 regions. In Britain, only in the mountains of Clova and Braemar in Scot- 

 land, Fl. sv/tnmer. 



3. Sweet Astragal. Astragalus glycyphyllos, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 203. Milkcetch.) 



A glabrous perennial, of a light green colour ; the zigzag stems spreading 

 along the ground to the length of 2 feet or even more. Stipules free. Leaflets 

 11, 13, or more, ovate, 1 to IJ inches long, the common leafstalk fuU 6 inches 

 long. Flowers about 6 or 7 Imes long, of a cUngy yellow, spreading or pen- 

 dulous, in racemes rather shorter than the leaves. Pods erect, curved, gla- 

 brous, above an inch long, completely divided into 2 cells by a thin double 

 partition, with 6 to 8 seeds in each half. 



In rather dry, open woods, and bushy places, over the greater part of Eu- 

 rope and Eussian Asia, except the extreme north. Not common in Britain, 

 although it ranges over a great part of England, especially the eastern 

 counties, and southern Scotland-; not recorded from Ireland. Fl. summer. 



XII. OXYTROPE. OXi'TEOPIS. 



Low, tufted perennials, only differing from Astragal in the keel, which 

 has a small point at its extremity, either erect or shghtly recurved, and in the 

 pod, which has an incomplete longitudinal partition projecting into the cavity 

 from the angle next the vexillum (the one which bears the seeds), not from 

 the angle next the keel. 



A considerable genus, but not so numerous nor so vridely spread as 

 Astragal, and chiefly confined to mountain stations or high latitudes in 

 Europe, Asia, and North America. 



Flowers yellowish !• Tellow O. 



Flowers purple 2. Purple O, 



q2 



