Desmodzum.] Leguminoscz. 55 



Low country up to 2000 ft. or more; very common. Fl. June-Oct. ; 

 "bright purple. 



Throughout the Tropics. 



An abundant and valuable constituent of turf in Ceylon, standing 

 drought well. This and D. heterophyllum are used as a medicine in cases 

 of fever. 



iS. D. heterophyllum, DC. Prod. ii. 334 (1825). IVXaha- 

 undupiyali, S. 



Burm. Thes. 118. Fl. Zeyl. n. 297 (3. Hedysaritm heterophyllum, 

 "Willd., Moon Cat. 54. Thw. Enum. 86. C. P. 2778. 



Fl. B. Ind. ii. 173. Burm. Thes. t. 54, f. 1. Wight, Ic. t. 291. 



A perennial herb, stems numerous, prostrate, slender, 

 rooting at lower nodes, densely covered with spreading hairs ; 

 1. 3-foliolate, rachis \-\ in., hairy, stip. broadly lanceolate, 

 •acute, ciliate, persistent, lflts. £-1 in. (term, one the largest), 

 oval or obovate-oval, rounded at both ends, glabrous above, 

 sparingly hairy beneath ; fl. small, on very slender ped., \-\ in. 

 long, 2-4 together, axillary racemose or umbellate, bracts 

 inconspicuous ; cal. very hairy, segm. narrow, setaceous ; 

 pod. f-i in., straight, not at all indented on dorsal, but 

 considerably so on ventral margin, joints 3-6, as broad as 

 long, faintly reticulate, slightly hairy. 



Low country up to 2000 ft. ; very common. Fl. pale purple. 

 Also throughout India and Malaya, and in China, the Philippines and 

 the Mascarene Is. 



19. D. parvifolium, DC. Prod. ii. 334 (1825). 

 Thw. Enum. 68. C. P. 1429. 

 Fl. B. Ind. ii. 174. 



A low under-shrub, with very numerous slender branches 

 trailing to a great length, with many short lateral twigs, when 

 young triangular, hairy ; 1. very numerous, crowded, small, 

 3- (or often 1-) foliolate, rachis short, filiform, stip. linear- 

 lanceolate, acuminate, persistent, lflts. \-\ in. (the terminal 

 much the largest), lanceolate or oval, obtuse or subacute, 

 mucronate, glabrous above, slightly hairy beneath ; fl. very 

 small, on long, filiform, hairy ped., arranged in very lax 

 spreading racemes, which are axillary or terminal on the 

 lateral twigs, much exceeding 1., bracts inconspicuous ; cal. 

 •covered with long silky hairs, segm. long, setaceous ; pod 

 under \ in., straight, indented on both margins, dehiscent 

 along ventral suture and everted, joints 1-4, roundish, about 

 as long as broad, rough with minute hairs. 



Montane zone to over 7000 ft.; common in patana land. I have 

 never seen it in the low country. Fl. Feb., April, September ; bright 

 pink. 



Also in India, Malaya, China, and Japan. 



