386 D. Prain — Some addition a I Leguminosae. [No. 2, 



The characters finally separating the two genera are, according to the Key in 

 the Flora of British India, joints "turgid" in Alysicarpus, "flattened" in Des- 

 modium. Yet the joints of the pods of Desmodium umbellatwm without being 

 broader are thrice the thickness of those in Alysicarpus belgaumensis. In the 

 definitions of the two genera the only tangible distinctions are corolla "included" in 

 alysicarpus, " exserted " in Desmodium; after having described the corolla as 

 exserted for the genus as a whole, it becomes necessary for the F. B. I. to indicate 

 that one of the distinctive characters of Desmodium parviflorum is that the corolla 

 is included. It seems therefore better to adopt an arrangement which excludes 

 from Desmodium a species that, by its admission, violates the solitary distinctive 

 generic character. 



476. NEOCOLLETTIA Hemsl. 



A slender trailing herb rooting at the nodes. Leaves pinnately 3- 

 foliolate ; stipules rigid striate persistent. Flowers small axillary solitary 

 or 2-3 together on a rather long slender peduncle, 2-bracteolate near 

 the calyx ; the peduncle bearing a large sfipitate saddle-shaped bract 

 enveloping the calyx. Calyx tubular 15-nerved subequally 5-lobed, 

 lobes short rounded. Standard suborbicular without appendages ; wings 

 free, keel straight quite obtuse. Stamens diadelphous ; anthers uniform. 

 Ovary sessile, I-ovulate ; style inflexed. A single species. 



1. Neocollettia gracilis Hemsl. Journ. Linn. Soc. xxviii. 44, t. 6. 

 Stylosanthes "facie oxalidea" Wall. Cat. 5974. Desmodium Rottleri 

 Bah. in Fl. Brit. hid. ii. J 74 in part. Teramnus Wallichii Xurz, Journ. 

 As. Soc. Beng. xlv. pt. 2. 255. 



Burma ; Prome, Wallich 5974 ! Posoboio, in the plains, Collett n. 

 26! 



Apparently perennial ; stems creeping elongated very slender slightly strigose. 

 Leaves trifoliolate, petiole slender 1-2 in. long ; leaflets petiolulate, middle petiolule 

 longest ; membranous pale-green obcordate, |- in. long, glabrous above, sparsely 

 strigose beneath, stipules small; stipels minute subulate. Flowers under \ in., 

 peduncles rather shorter than the flowers, strigose as are the bracts and bracteoles 

 beneath, and the calyx externally. Petals long-clawed, standard retuse, wings ob- 

 long, spurred and also toothed on lower margin ; ovary glabrous. 



An interesting genus more resembling a Phaseolid than a Hedysarioid, but with 

 floral structure most closely approaching that of the next genus. The single 

 species bears a considerable superficial resemblance to Desmodium Rottleri Bak. 

 (Eleiotis Rottleri W. & A.), for which it may casually be mistaken. Eipe fruit is un- 

 known, and it is to be hoped that members who may meet with the plant in Burma 

 will kindly communicate complete specimens. 



47c. PHYLACIUM Benn. 

 Climbing herbs. Leaves 3-foliolate ; stipules persistent small linear 

 or lanceolate, leaflets stipellate. Flowers in axillary racemes, shortly 

 pedicelled, 2-bracteolate near the calyx, completely enveloped, as ulti- 

 mately is the legume, in a large boat-shaped membranous much accres- 



