PULSE FAMILr. 107 



• » Stems branching, often spreading, or decumbent : leaves scattered : racemes op- 

 posite the leaves, long-peduncled : flowers fewer and smaller : pubescence 

 mostly yellowish or rusty. 



T. spic&ta. From Delaware S. : l°-2° high, loosely soft-hairy, with 

 9 - 15 wedge-oblong or obovate leaflets, and 6-10 rather large scattered white 

 and purple flowers in the raceme or spike, 



T. hispidula. From Virginia S. : low, closely pubescent or smoothish, 

 with 11-15 oblong small leaflets, the lowest pair above the base of the petiole, 

 and 2 — 4 small reddish-purple flowers. 



T. chrysophylla. From Georgia S. & W. ; nearly prostrate, with 5-7 

 wedge-obovate leaflets, smooth above and yellowish silky beneath, the lowest 

 pair close to the stem ; flowers as in the last. 



25. ROBINIA, LOCUST-TREE. (Dedicated to two early French bota- 

 nists, Robin.) Natives of Atlantic, Middle, andiSouthern States, planted,,and 

 the common Locust running wild N. Fl. late spring and early summer. 



H. Fseudac^cia, Common L. or False Acacia. Tree of valuable 

 timber, with naked branchlets, slender and loose hanging racemes of fragrant 

 white flowers, and smooth pods. 



R. visc6sa. Clammy L. Smaller tree, with clammy branches and stalks, 

 very short prickles, short and dense racemes of faintly rose-colored scentless. 

 flowers, and rough clsimmy pods. 



R. bispida. Bristly L. or Eose-Acacia. Ornamental shrub, with 

 branches and stalks bristly, broad leaflets tipped with a long bristle, large and 

 showy bright rose-colored flowers in close or loose racemes, and clammy-bristly 

 pods. 



26. CQL'&TEA, BLADDER-SEISTNA. (Derivation of name ohsciu-c : 

 the English name refers to the bladdery pods and to the leaves having been 

 used as a substitute for those of Senna. ) 



C. arbor^scens, Common B. European shrub, planted in gardens, with 

 7-11 oval and rather truncate leaflets, a raceme of 5-10 yellow flowers, in 

 summer, succeeded by the large very thin-walled closed pads., 



C. cru^uta, Oriental B., with obovate notched leaflets, fewer flowers 

 saffron-colored or reddish, and pods opening by a little slit before they are TS\pe, 

 is scarcely hardy N. 



27. ASTRAGALUS, MILK-VETCH. (Old Greek name of the ankle- 

 bone and of some leguminous plant ; application and meaning uncertain. ) 

 Veryinany native species west of the Mississippi. 



A. Canadensis. Kiver-banks, the only widely common species ; rather 

 coarse, l°-4° high, slightly pubescent, with leaves of numerous leaflets, long 

 dense spikes of greenish cream-colored flowers, in summer, followed by small 

 and coriaceous ovoid pods, completely divided by a longitudinal pastition. ^ 



A. Co6peri. Gravelly shores N. & W. : resembles the foregoing, but 

 smoother, l°-2° liigh, with small white flowers in a short spike, and inflated 

 ovoid pods about 1' long, thin-walled, and not divided internally ; fl. in early 

 summer, y, 



A. glkhev. Pine-barrens S. : nearly smooth, 2° high, with very many 

 oblong-linear small leaflets, loosely many-flowered spikes of white flowers, in 

 spring, succeeded by oblong curved and flattish 2-celled pods. ^ 



A. caryoc^rpus. Ground Plum of the Western voyageurs, so called from 

 the fruit, which is of the size and shape of a small plum, and fleshy, but becom- 

 ing dry and corky, very thick-walled, 2-celled ; the plant low, smoothish, with 

 many small narrow oblong leaflets, and short racemes or spikes of violei-purple 

 or nearly white flowers, in spring : common along the Upper Mississippi and 

 W. and S. on the plains, y, 



A. Tillbsus. Pine-barrens S. : low and spreading, loosely hoary-hairy, 

 with about 13 oblong leaflets notched at the end, a short and dense raceme or 

 spike of small yellowish flowers, in spring, and an oblong 3-angled curved and 

 soft-hairy pod, its cavity not divided, y. 



