276 DIADELPHIA— DECANDRIA. Lathyrus. 



In cultivated fields, but rare. 



In various parts of Rochford Hundred, Essex. Ray. At Southend, 

 Essex, Mr. D. Turner. Between Bath and Bristol ; Mr. Swayne. 

 With. 



Annual. July. 



Root small. Stem winged, slightly hairy, leafy, climbing, by the 

 help of its branched tendrils, to the height of about two feet, 

 very little branched. Footstalks winged, each bearing, at the 

 base of the tendril, a pair of linear -lanceolate, 3-ribbed, veiny 

 leaflets, either slightly hairy or quite smooth, varying much in 

 breadth. Stipulas half-arrow-shaped, very narrow, somewhat 

 hairy. Fl,. usually 2 on each stalk, rarely 1 or 3, not large, but 

 elegantly variegated ; standard bright crimson ; wings pale 

 blue ; keel white. Cal. hairy, with deep, taper-pointed seg- 

 ments. Legume broad, compressed, remarkably hairy. Seeds 

 rough, blackish. 



*** Flowers numerous on each stalk. 



4. h. pratensis. Yellow Meadow Vetchling. 



Stalks many-fllovvered. Tendrils mostly simple, each bear- 

 ing a pair of lanceolate leaflets. 



L. pratensis. Linn. Sp. PI. 1033. B'illd. v. 3. 1089. Fl. Br. 765. 



Engl. Bot. V. 1 0. t. 670. Curt. Lond. fasc. 3. t. 44. iMart. Rust. 



t. 52. Hook. Scot.2\3. Fl. Dan. t. 527. Riv. Tetrap. Irr. t.43. 

 L. n. 436. Hall. Hist. v. 1. 189. 

 L. luteus svlvestris dumetorum. Raii Syn. 320. Bank. Hist. v. 2. 



304./. ■ 

 L. sylvestris et dumetorum, flore luteo. Moris, v. 2. b\. sect. 2. 



t. 2./. 2. 



In meadows, pastures and thickets, very common. 



Perennial. July, Jitgust. 



Root creeping extensively, beset with fleshy tubercles, which ren- 

 der it very tenacious of life. Herb mostly smooth, of a slightly 

 glaucous green, turning blackish in drying; not unfrequently 

 a little rough or hairy. Stems weak, climbing, branched, leafy, 

 acutely angular, not winged, rising to the height of 2 or 3 feet. 

 Tendrils for the most part simple, sometimes divided ; each ac- 

 companied by a pair of lanceolate, acute, variously ribbed leaf- 

 lets. Stipulas unequally arrow-shaped, taper-pointed. Flowers 

 bright yellow, larger than the foregoing, 8 or 9 together, on 

 long, upright, angular stalks. Cal. hairy, with slender, not very 

 deep, teeth. Legumes nearly upright, black, smooth, compress- 

 ed, sparingly produced. Seeds 8 or 10, smooth. 



Cattle are fond of this plant, which makes a great part of common 

 meadow hay. It thrives on a wet clay soil, and has been re- 

 commended by Dr. .Anderson for cultivation. 



