56 LeguminOSCZ. \Desmodium.. 



Each joint of the pod is completely dehiscent along the ventral 

 suture, but the valves remain united along the dorsal margin and are- 

 stiffly everted. 



20. D. g-yrans, DC. Prod. ii. 326 (1825;. Chanchala, S. 



Hedysarum gyrans, L. f., Moon Cat. 54. Thw. Enum. 87. C. P. 1430.. 

 Fl. B. Ind. ii. 174. Wight, Ic. t. 294. 



An erect perennial, branches few, cylindrical, glabrous,, 

 young shoots roughly pubescent; 1. 3- (often 1-) foliolate, rachis, 

 f-i in., glabrous, stip. linear-lanceolate, acuminate soon falling; 

 lflts. on very short densely pubescent stalks, very unequal, ter- 

 minal one 2-3 in., drooping, linear-lanceolate, obtuse, glabrous, 

 above, silky-pubescent beneath, lat. ones about \ in., broadly 

 linear, tapering to base ; fl. of medium size, on short ped.. 

 arranged in rather long, erect, lax, terminal and axillary 

 racemes, bracts broadly ovate, acuminate, glabrous, soon 

 falling ; cal. cup -shaped, nearly glabrous, segm. deltoid,, 

 short, subacute ; pod i|~if in., linear, slightly falcate, dehis- 

 cent along ventral suture which is slightly indented, slightly 

 rough with short scattered hair, joints 5-10, broader than 

 long, inconspicuous. 



Moist and intermediate low country to 3000 ft. ; rather rare. Han- 

 tane ; Galagama ; about Badulla, frequent. Moon's locality is Dumbara 

 Fl. Feb.-April. ; pale pink. 



Throughout India, Malaya, and the Philippines. 



This is the ' Telegraph,' or rather ' Semaphore Plant,' so named from 

 the spontaneous jerky movements of the pair of small leaflets. 



21. * D. g-yroides, DC. Prod. ii. 326 (1825). 

 Thw. Enum. 87. C. P. 3326. 



Fl. B. Ind. ii. 175. 



A shrub, 4-6 ft. high, twigs pubescent ; 1. 3- or more- 

 usually 1 -foliolate, rachis f-i in., slender, often deflexed, stip.. 

 linear-lanceolate, long-acuminate, terminal lflt. 1^-2 in., ob- 

 long-oval, rounded at both ends, glabrous above, slightly 

 pilose beneath, lat. ones J-f in. ; fl. of moderate size, on* 

 spreading hairy ped., crowded in short, pedunculate, terminal 

 or axillary racemes, bracts broadly ovate, apiculate, ciliate,, 

 caducous ; cal. campanulate, nearly glabrous, segm. short,, 

 triangular, subacute ; pod 1-1^ in., nearly straight, dehiscent 

 along ventral suture which is very slightly indented, densely- 

 shaggy with short fulvous hair, joints 5-9, broader than< 

 long. 



Moist low country, probably introduced. Hantane (Hb. Perad.). L 

 have only seen it as a cultivated plant here. Fl. April ; purple. 

 Also in E. Bengal, Burma, and the Malay Islands. 



