178 



THE PEAFLOWHB TEIBE. 



the branched tendrils, to the length of 2 or 3 feet or rather more ; the 

 whole plant hairy, or nearly glabrous. Stipules narrow and entire. Leaflets 

 numerous, oblong or linear, the largest 8 or 9 hnes long. Flowers nume- 

 rous, in one-sided racemes, on peduncles rather longer than the leaves, of a 

 fine bluish-purple, each one about 5 lines long. Style hairy all round 

 below the stigma. Pod flattened, glabrous, about an inch long, with 6 or 

 8 seeds. 



In hedges and bushy places, throughout Europe and Russian Asia, from 

 the Mediterranean to the Arctic Circle, and in northern America. Common 

 in Britain. Fl. summer. 



4. 'Wood Vetch. Vicia sylvatica, Linn. 



(Eng. Bot. t. 79.) 



A handsome, usually glabrous species, climbing over shrubs and small 

 trees, sometimes to the length of 6 or 8 feet. Stipules deeply divided at 

 their base. Leaflets fewer and broader than in the tufted V., usually 8 or 

 10 pairs to each leaf, oblong, or the lower ones ovate, obtuse or notched at 

 the top. Flowers considerably longer than in the tufted V., white with 

 bluish streaks, loosely drooping ia long racemes. Pod glabrous, broad, an 

 inch long, with 4 to 6 seeds. 



In open woods and bushy places, in the hilly, and especially the northern 

 districts, of Europe and Russian Asia to the Arctic Circle, and in the moun- 

 tains of southern Europe and central Asia. Not uncommon in Scotland, 

 and occurs in most hUly, wooded districts of England and Ireland. FL 

 summer. 



5. TJpriglit Vetch. Vicia Orobns, DO. 



{Orobus sylvaticus, Eng, Bot.t. 518.) 

 A slightly hairy branching perennial, with a somewhat creeping root- 

 stock ; the stems more erect than m the other Vetches, and the tendrils all 

 reduced to a fine point terminating the leafstalk, or in the upper leaves re- 

 placed by a terminal leaflet, as in the black Pea, but the plant does not usu- 

 ally dry black, as in that species, and the style is that of the tufted Vetch. 

 Stipules broader than in the last two species, and shghtly toothed. Leaflets 

 8 to 10 pau-s to each leaf, narrow-oblong, with a fine point. Peduncles 

 about the length of the leaf, with a close raceme of 6 to 10 rather large 

 flowers of a purphsh white. Pods flattened, about an inch long, with 3 or 4 

 seeds or rarely more. 



In momitain pastures and woods, in western Europe, from the Pyrenees 

 to southern Norway, reappearing eastward in Bavaria and Transylvania. 

 In Britain, spread over Wales, northern England, and a great pai-t of 

 Scotland, more rare in Ireland. Fl. early summer. 



6. Bush Vetch. Vicia sepium, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 1515.) 

 A slightly hairy perennial ; the stems 1 to 2 feet high, weak and straggling, 

 but scarcely climbing. Stipules small and entire, or larger and toothed. 

 Leaflets 4 to 6 pairs in each leaf, ovate or oblong ; the leaf-stalk ending in 

 a tendrU, usually branched. Flowers smaller than in the common V., 

 of a hght reddish-purple, 2 to 4 together in the axils of the upper leaves, 

 drooping from short pedicels, and forming a sessile cluster or a very short 

 raceme. Style with a dense tuft of hairs under the stigma on the outer 



