LEGUMINACEAE (BEAN FAMILY) 141 



ASTRAGALUS (Rattleweed) 



Erect to prostrate. Leaves odd-pinnate ; leaflets entire ; tendrils none ; 

 stipules persistent. Flowers small, narrow. Calyx s-toothed. Petals with 

 slender claws ; keel dbtuse. Stamens diadelphous. — (The Greek name 

 of some plant of the family.) Too difficult for the beginner. 



ARAGALLUS (Loco Weed) 



Perennial or annual. Leaves odd-pinnate; leaflets entire. Flowers 

 various in color, in spikes or heads ; flower clusters axillary or basal. Calyx 

 S-toothed. Pod partly 2-ceUed by the intrusion of the ventral (placental) 

 suture. — (Meaning undetermined.) Poisonous to cattle. Too difficult 

 for beginners. 



HEDYSARUM 



Leaflets entire; stipules scarious. Flowers white or yellow or purplish, 

 racemes axillary, bracted; bracts scarious or setaceous. Calyx s-toothed 

 or -parted. Stamens hypogynous, diadelphous. Pod flat ; joints roundish. 

 — (Gk. hedys = sweet, aroma = smell ; apparently from the fragrant 

 flowers of some.) 



A. Flowers cream-colored. E. H. sulpliurescens 



AA. Flowers light purple. 



B. Stems and leaves canescent. E. H. clnerascens 



BB. Stems and leaves green, glabrate or nearly so. W. £. H. boreale 



VICIA (Vetch) 



Climbing or trailing or quite weak. Leaves tendril-bearing. Flowers 

 axillary, solitary or in racemes. Calyx tube oblique. CoroUa blue or 

 violet or white or yellow. Stamens diadelphous in groups of g and i, or 

 monadelphous below. Pod flat. — (Gk. bikion and L. vicia = the names 

 of these plants.) Relished by stock. 



A. Flowers in spikes or racemes on axillary peduncles. 

 B. Leaflets 20-30, 2.5-5 cm. long; flowers ochroleucous or tawny; perennial. 

 W. c. E. V. glgantia (giant vetch) 



BB. Leaflets either fewer or less than 2.5 cm. long; flowers from white to purple. 

 C. Flowers bluish white, 4 mm. or less long; peduncles i-6-flowered; annual; 

 leaflets 12-14; pod hairy. W. V. hiisuta (hairy vetch) 



CC. Flowers deep blue, 5-18 mm. long; perennial. 

 D. Leaflets 18-24; peduncles densely is-40-flowered; pod glabrous. W. 



V. cracca (tufted vetch) 

 DD. Leaflets 8-16; peduncles loosely s-i6-flowered. 



E. Plant glabrous or not villous if hairy, 3-12 dm. high; pod glabrous; leaflets 

 12-25 mm. long. 

 F. Leaves ovate-lanceolate to broadly oval. W. C. E. 



V. americana (common vetch) 

 FF. Leaves narrowly linear to oblong. W. C. E. 



V. linearis (narrow-leaved vetch) 



