PEA FAMILY 



the plant cannot use, into nitrous acid, which the plant can use, 

 and which in some form it Stores up in its seeds. 

 Phaseolus lunatus var. macrocarpus is the Lima Bean of our 



gardens, characterized by its ro- 

 bust growth, late ripening, large 

 pods, and large, flat seeds. Sev- 

 eral forms are in cultivation, all 

 good. In the tropics the plant is 

 perennial. 



HYACINTH BEAN 



Ddlichos Idblah. 



Cultivated here as an ornamental 

 climbing bean, but in the tropics the 

 seeds are eaten. Annual. 



Stem. — ^Twining, often ten to twenty 

 feet. 



Leaves. — ^Trifoliate; leaflets broad- 

 ovate, rounded at base, pointed at 

 apex. 



Flowers. — Papilionaceous, purple, 

 violet, or white, rather large, in a 

 long, erect raceme; standard rounded, 

 spreading; keel narrow and bent in- 

 ward at a right angle, but not coiling. 



Style. — Bearded under the terminal 

 stigma. 



Pods. — Thick, flat, broadly oblong, 

 conspicuously tipped with style. 



Seeds. — Tawny with a white scar. 



Hyacinth Bean. Ddlichos Idblab -r^ ^ i n i i . i 



De CandoUe believes that 

 DoUchos lablab was the ancient bean of India, but not of 

 Egypt. In fact, what particular bean the ancients ate is a 

 problem to those who care about the matter. We, however, 

 regard the plant solely for its beautiful flowers which are very 

 showy both in the violet-purple and the wjbite varieties. The 

 clusters of seed pods are a lasting ornament, as they turn a 

 rich dark-purple and keep the color until killed by the frost. 



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