jo Legnminosce. [Phaseolus. 



probably of American origin but now common throughout the Tropics, 

 and the latter, the French or haricot bean, ' Potu-bonchi,' S., also in 

 temperate regions. 



i. P. adenanthus, Meyer, Prim. FL Esseq. 239 (1818). Wal- 

 md, S. 



P. traxillensis, H. B. K., Thw. Enum. 89. C. P. 1480. 

 Fl. B. Ind. ii. 200. Wight, Ic. t. 34 {P. rostratus). 



A perennial herbaceous twiner with glabrous stems; 1. 

 distant, rachis 3-4 in., stout, stip. small, oval, lflts. 2J-4I- in., 

 rhomboid -oval, subacute, apiculate, glabrous or slightly- 

 pubescent, the lat. ones dilated in lower half; fl. large, over 

 1 in., few, on short ped. with a large round gland at base, 

 solitary or in pairs, closely placed at end of an axillary 

 peduncle about as long as 1., bractlets 2, immediately beneath 

 fl, ovate, acute, striate, cal. finely pilose ; keel very long, 

 twisted into a complete spiral ; pod 5-6 in. by § in. wide, 

 compressed, shortly beaked, falcately curved, glabrous ; seeds 

 12-16, nearly circular, \ in., flat, black. 



Moist region, up to 4000 ft. ; rather common. Fl. Dec. ; dark pink. 



Throughout the Tropics. 



The flowers are very large and handsome, and the plant well worth 

 cultivation for ornament. This may be the plant called P. Caracalla by 

 Moon (Cat. 52), with the English name ' Snail-flower.' 



2. P. ©rahamianus, W. and A. Prod. 244 (1834). 

 Thw. Enum. 90. C. P. 3586. 

 Fl. B. Ind. ii. 201. 



A perennial twining herb, with slender glabrous much- 

 branched stems ; 1. small, rachis i|- 2 in., stip. small, oval, 

 spreading or reflexed, lflts. i\-2 in., rhomboid-oval, obtuse, 

 glabrous, readily disarticulating ; fl. medium-sized, on short 

 slender ped., 1-3 together on thickened nodes, racemes 

 longer than 1. ; cal. glabrous ; standard very large, keel 

 curved into a complete circle ; pod 3J in. by \ in. broad, 

 narrowly linear, beaked, slightly curved upwards at end, 

 sutures thickened ; seeds 8-10, oblong, truncate, slightly 

 compressed. 



Low country; rather rare. Batticaloa; Galle; Dambulla; Nalande. 

 Fl. Jan. Feb. ; pale bright violet-purple (not ' reddish,' as given in Fl. B. 

 Ind.). 



Also in Southern India. 



3* P. semierectus, L. Mant. i. 100 (1767). 



Thw. Enum. 90. C. P. 3609. 



Fl. B. Ind. ii. 201. Wight, Ic. t. 249. 



An erect semi-shrubby annual, 2-3 ft. high, with few 

 cylindrical ascending glabrous branches ; l.-rachis 2-2^ in., 



