Lathyrus palustris L. Spec. PL ed. II (1763) p. 1034; Ledeb. Fl. All. Ill, p. 355; 

 Tiuczan. Cat. Baical. no. 381; Karel. et Kiril. Enum. PI. Fl. Alt. no. 280; Ledeb. Fl. Ross. I, 

 p. 686; Turczan. Fl. Baical.-Dahur. (1842) p. 793, no. 370; KpLu. <Dj. Ajit. II (1903) p. 340. 



The species is very common in moist meadows and in thickets about the rivers 

 Yenisei and Abakan, and also on the islets, and begins flowering here about the middle 

 of June. It also occurs in the Urjankai country, near Ust Sisti-kern, and Ust Tara-kem, in 

 shady thickets. 



In contradistinction from Ascherson et Graebner (Synops. VI, 2 (1910) p. 1034), 

 maintaining that this species is rather little variable, it seemed — at any rate to judge 

 from my Asiatic material — to vary rather considerably. Thus, the rich material of this 

 species collected by me in southern Siberia and the Urjankai country, varies consider- 

 ably, especially in the number, length and breadth of the leaflets, and also in the density 

 of the pubescence. All of the specimens collected are more or less puberulent; comple- 

 tely glabrate specimens do not occur in my collections. Even in specimens which at 

 first sight seemed to be quite glabrous, the short stalks of the leaflets, the main veins 

 beneath, and frequently also the youngest parts of the plants, at least, proved to be pu- 

 bescent. The calyx-teeth are likewise always distinctly ciliate, while the calyx, for the rest, 

 may be frequently completely glabrous. The most common form seemed to have the 

 stem, the peduncles and the under sides of the leaves hairy, the upper sides of the leaves 

 being glabrous or only pubescent along the main veins. There are to be found all tran- 

 sitions between nearly completely glabrate forms and specimens which are densely pu- 

 bescent. Such a form, especially much puberulent all over the plant, in which the 

 calyx is also much and distinctly puberulent, has been collected by me at Ust Kamuishto. 

 A much hairy form of this kind has been described by Ledebour,F1. Ross. I, p. 686, under 

 the name of /. pilosus, to which the said specimens must probably be referred. Any dif- 

 ference in the size of these specimens or in the size of the stipules, as described by 

 Ledebour in /. pilosus, I have not been able to point out in my material. The stipules 

 seemed, as a rule, in their size and shape, to be dependent on the leaflets; specimens with 

 large leaflets have mostly large stipules too, and vice-versa, specimens with broad leaflets 

 have broad stipules, while the small-leaved specimens are characteristic in having nar- 

 row, small, and acuminate stipules. 



In thickets near Askys I have collected a form with very broad leaflets, to 14 mm. 

 broad, and 3 — 4 times as long. The leaves are 2 — 3 pinnate, with broad stipules, f. 

 laiifolius Lambertye, Cat. PI. Marne (1846) p. 53. Is likely only to be considered as a 

 modification due to the habitat, viz. a shade-loving form. On the islets in the Yenisei, 

 between Minusinsk and Ust Abakansk, there occyir specimens with very narrow and 

 long leaflets. The breadth of the leaflets varies between 2 and 4 mm. and the length is 

 15 — 20 times the breadth. The leaves, which have long, narrow, mucronulate stipules, 

 are 4 — 5 pinnate, f. linearifolius Ser. in DC. Prodom. II (1825) p. 371. The specimens 

 of the latter, mentioned by Komarow from eastern Asia (Oji. MaHttiiitypiii 2, II (1904) p. 

 628), where it is very common, have only 1 — 3 pinnate leaves, by which character they 



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