42 Pulse (Legurninosce). [No. 7 



Leaves, compound, alternate. Leaflets, three with stipels. 



Pod, four- to ten-seeded. Seeds, oblong with squared 

 ends, kidney-shape, or four-sided. 



Herbaceous vines. The Lima Bean, and other favorite 

 climbing beans of the garden belong with this genus. 



Fig. 19. — Kidney-Bean. Wild-Bean. P polystdchyus (L.), 

 B. S. P. P. perdnnis, Walt. 



Flowers, scattered in loose axillary clusters that are twice 

 as long as the leaf-stems or more. Corolla, purple or 

 violet, small. Keel and the included style and sta- 

 mens, twisted. Style, bearded along the upper side. 

 July and August. 



Leaflets, three, one and a half to three and a half inches 

 long, rounded egg-shape, the terminal one often 

 somewhat heart-shape. Apex, short-pointed. 



Pod, about two inches in length, strongly curved, droop- 

 ing, tipped with the base of the style. Seeds, four to 

 five, flattened, dark purple, kidney-shape. A legume. 



Found, in dry ground from Canada to Florida and west- 

 ward. Common. 



A twining, herbaceous vine, slender, somewhat downy ; 

 from a perennial root. Stem, four to seven feet long. 



