THE BONAVIST, LABLAB, OB HYACINTH BEAN. 5 



walled acinaciform pods, which open easily. The description is 

 detailed, and the author evidently grew the plant he describes. Savi 

 identifies with his species a variety from Egypt described by Alpino ; 

 one cultivated in Japan, but originally from Nankin, China, de- 

 scribed by Kaempfer; one from Jamaica described by Sloane; and 

 one from Jamaica and Barbados described by Plukenet. It is hardly 

 likely that all of these are the same variety, even if they agree in the 

 diagnostic characters set forth b}^ Savi. 



Labial) leucocarpos Savi (17, p. 120) is described as having white 

 flowers, subglobose, black or reddish black seeds, and white, fleshy, 

 acinaciform pods, which shrink in drying. The long, detailed de- 

 scription suggests a variety very similar to, if not identical with, 

 S. P. I. Xo. 31363. The source of the variety is not stated, but Savi 

 received the seed under the name Dolichos labial) siliqua eduli, that 

 is, Dolichos lablab with edible pods. 



Lablab microcarpus De Candolle (3, p. 402) is based on the plant 

 described and figured by Rumphius (16, p. 390, pi. Ill, fig. 1) under 

 the name Cacara litorea. It is a seashore plant, apparently a species 

 of Canavalia near to C. turgida. 



Dolichos lignosus Linnseus (10) is probably distinct from the 

 bonavist, but there is much difference of opinion among botanists as 

 to the actual identitj r of the plant. LinnEeus's original description 

 and figure of Dolichos lignosus (9) were based on a plant, supposedly 

 from America, that bloomed but did not fruit in Clifford's garden in 

 Holland. It is described as perennial, woody stemmed, and with 

 red or purple flowers. The figure shows a plant much like the 

 bonavist, but with smaller leaflets. Linseus also cites as identical 

 with his plant " Phaseolus indicus perennis^ floribus purpurascenti- 

 bus. Hort. Carolsrh. 36." 



In 1T.j3. when Linnaeus (10) gave the name Dolichos lignosus to 

 the plant he had described in 1737 (9), he modified his description 

 by stating that the pods were strictly linear and that the habitat 

 of the plant was unknown. Inasmuch as the original plant of lig- 

 U8 in Clifford's garden did not produce pods, it would be a matter 

 of interest to determine on what basis Linnaeus decided 16 years later 

 tli;it they were strictly linear. 



In L763 Linnaeus (11, p. 1022) repeats his description made in 

 1753 (10), but adds as a synonym, "Cacara s. Phaseolus perennis 

 Rumph. Ami). :». p. 378, t. L36," an. I " Habitat in India.*' 



Rumphius (16, pi. }■'><'<) shows a plant, clearly the bonavist, with 

 tie- immature pods nearly straight and of about the same width at 

 base and apex, rery similar to S. P. I. No. 21998 (PL I). 



It is from I his figure of Rumphius that most, later writers have 



interpreted Dolichos lignosus. Rumphius's figure, however, differs 



