Order 46.— LEGUMINOS-iE. 297 



diadelphous, monadelphoua or distinct. Anthers versatile. Ova superior, single and 

 simple. St/yle and stigma simple. Fr. a legume, either continuous (1 -celled), or 

 (a loment), joined into l-seeded cells. Sds. solitary or several, destitute of albumeiL 

 Illnst in flgs. 90, 15S, 163, 161, 164, 165, 1T7, 183, 131, 131, 306, 816, BIT, 868, 445, 446, 466. 

 The genera and species of this vast order wero estimated by Mr. Bentham la 1845, as 

 follows : 



Suborder 1. Papilionaceai, 850 genera, 4S0O species. 

 " 2. CaisalpinoiB, 88 " 700 " 

 " 4. Mimosea!, 29 " 1000 " 



" Total, 46T " 6500 



Geography. — The Legurainosas are distributed throughout all lands, with the exception of a 

 few unimportant islands, fi'om the equator to the frigid zones. Of its 6500 species now known, 

 about .350 are natives ofthe United States and Territories. 



PropeHies. — No family of the vegetable kingdom possesses a higher claim to the attention of 

 tlie naturalist thau the Leguminosfie, whether we regard them as objects of ornament or utility. 

 Of the former, we might mention the splendid varieties of Cercis, with their purple flowers, the 

 Acacias, with their airy foliage aud silken stamens, the Pride of India, Colutea and Ciesalpina, 

 with .1 host of others, which, like the Sweet Pea, are redolent with perfume. Of the latter, the 

 beans, peas, leutils, clover and lucerne, are too well known to require recommendation. Among 

 timber trees, the Rosewood (a Brazilian species of Mimosa), the Laburnum, whose wood is 

 durable and of an olive-green color, and theXocust of our own country are pretiminent. 



Tile following are a few of the important olficinal products of this order. In medicine; 

 liquorice is the prodnct of the root of Glycyrrhiza glabra of S. Europe. The purgative senna 

 consists of leaves of Cassia Senna, 0. acutifolia, C. jEthiopica, and other species of Egypt and 

 Arabia. C. Marylandica is also a cathartic, but more mild than the former. The sweet pulp 

 ta^narvnd, is the product of a large and beautiful tree (Tamarindns Indica) of the E. and W. 

 Indies. Eesins and Balsams: Owm Senegal is yielded by Acacia Verek of the Eivcr Senegal ; 

 Gum Arabic, by several species of Acacia of Central Africa ; Gum Tragacynth, by Astragalus 

 verus, &c, Persia. Balsam Copaiva is the product of several species of Copaifera. natives of 

 Brazil and W. Indies ; JSalsam Tol-u, of Myospermum tolaifernum of Pern, and Balsam Peru 

 of M. peruiferum of the same country. Dyes, &c. : InclAgo, the most valuable of all (but a violent 

 poison), is the product of several southern species of Indigofera, as I. anil of the W, Indies, and 

 I. argentea of Egypt. BraziJr-wood from Caesalpina Braziliensis. Log-wood from Haeinatoxylon 

 Campe.lchianum, of Campeachy, and Bed Sandal-wood from Pterocarpus santalinus of Egypt, 

 &c., &c. 



SUBOEDERS, TRIBES AND GENERA. 

 § Corolla valvate in (estivation, regular. Flowers in dense heads or spikes. 



Leaves twice pinnate StTBOKDEE I. (a) 



§ Corolla imbricate in sestivation, the upper or odd petal interior or the 



flower subregular Biibokdee IL (b) 



§ Corolla imbricate in aastivation, the upper petal (vexiUum) exterior 



Flowers papilionaceous Suboedke III. (•) 



* Stamens 10, all distinct. Teibe 1. (o) 



* Stamens 10, all or 9 united (2) 



2 Leaves cirrhous, the rachis ending with a tendril. Tkibe 2. (d) 

 2 Leaves not cirrhous. (3) 

 3 Pod a loment (§5T3), of transverse, l-seeded joints. Teibe S. (e) 

 3 Pod a legume 1— 2— 00-seeded, not in joints. (4) 

 4 Erect (or, if prostrate, with palmately 8-foliate leaves). Cotyledons thin, 



becoming leafy in germination. Tbibe 4. (f) 

 4 Trailing or twining vines with pinnately compound leaves. 

 Cotyledons thick, not becoming leaves in germination. Teibe 5. (g) 



SnBOEDER I. MIMOSEA. 



a Pods flat, composed of one or more l-seeded joints Mimosa. 1 



a Pods continuous,— prickly, 4-sided and 4-valved SoHEiSKiA. 2 



—smooth,— turgid, filled with pulp Taoiiellia. 8 



—compressed, dry,- Fls. all perfect Desmahthus. 4 



— Fls. polygamous Acacia. 5 



Suborder II. C^SALPINE^. 



b Fls. dioeoeons, greenish, stamens 10. A tree unarmed Gtmnooladot. 6 



b Fls. polygamous, green, stamens 5. Trees thorny Glemtschia. T 



b Fls. perfect,— yellow.— Leaves equally pinnate Cassia. 8 



-purple, papilionaceous. Leaves simple Ceesis. 9 



Suborder ni. PAPILIONACE^. 



C 1 PoDALVBiEi;.— Legume flat and thin, short-stiped. Lvs. pinnate Cladasteis. 10 



— Legnmo inflated, stipitate. Lvs. palmately 1— S-foliate Baptisia. 11 



