Oedeh 46.— LBGUMINOS^. 3IY 



3 P. cdrneum Ms. Glabrous, erect; Ifts. 5 to 1, lanoe-linear ; spikes oh\ong, pe- 

 dunculate ; bracts obovate, somewhat exceeding the short teeth of the glabrous 

 calyx ; pet. oblong, narrowed at base in the long claws. — Ga. and Fla. Slender, 

 branching, 1 to 2f high; Ivs. fascicled in the axils. Lfts. acute, 5 to 8" long. 

 Spikes 1' long. Fls. roseate or white. Aug. 



4 P. grdcile Nutt. Glabrous, dectmibent at base ; Ifbs. 7, lanoe-linear ; spikes 

 oblong or cylindrical, somewhat sessile ; bracts acute, about equaling the short, 

 blunt calyx teeth ; petals ovate ; vex. broadly cordate. — (D W. Pla. and Ala. 

 nearly simple, 1 to 2f long, leafy to near the top. Lfts. 3 to 6" long. Spikes 6 

 to 12'' long. Fls. -white. 



5 P. oorymbosum Mx. St. oorymbously branched ; spikes capitate, sessile ; 

 bracts broad, colored, the outer leaf-bearing and flowerless ; lfts. linear, 5 to 1 . — 

 A singularly elegant plant of the pine barrens, N. Oar. to Ha. Sts. 1 to 2f high, 

 many from one root, each with a corymb at summit. Heads resemble the Com- 

 positse, with red scales and white lanoo-oblong petals. Sept., Oct. 



38. ASTRAG'ALUS, L. Milk Vetch. Calyx 5-toothed; keel of 

 the corolla obtuse ; stamens diadelphous (9 and 1) ; legumes 2-celled by 

 the introflexion of the lower suture. — Herbaceous or suffruticous, with 

 unequally pinnate Ivs., and the fls. in spikes or racemes. 



I Legumes straight, cylindric. Flowers oclirolencons No. 1 



I Legumes curved, prismatic. Fls. whitish or bluish Nos. 2—4 



§ Legumes globular, fleshy. Fls. whitish or blue No. 5 



1 A. Canadensis L. Canesoent, erect, diffuse ; stip. broad-lanceolate, acumi- 

 nate ; lfts. about 10 pairs, elliptical, obtuse at both ends ; the lowest ovate, ob- 

 tuse; ped. about as long as the Ivs., when in fruit shorter; bracts subulate, as 

 long as the cal. ; fls. somewhat reflexed ; leg. ovate-oblong, terete, suberect, 

 smooth, many-seeded, abrupt at the end and tipped with the permanent style. — 

 2J[ River banks, etc.. Can. and TJ. S. St. bushy, about 3f high, very leafy. 

 Fls. greenish-yellow, in dense spikes. Pods J' in length, leathery. Jl. Aug. 



2 A. glaber Mx. Nearly glabrous, erect; stip. minute or ; lfts. 8 to H pairs, 

 oblong-lanceolate or linear, obtuse or emarginate ; spikes loose, much longer than 

 the Ivs. ; bracts subulate, scarcely longer than the pedicels ; leg. flattened, reticu- 

 lated. — 2i Pine barrens, N. Car. to Pla. St. 1 to 2f high. Pis. greenish white. 

 Pods distant, IJ' long, spreading, incurved, acute at each end. Apr. 



3 A. oboordatus Ell. Nearly glabrous, decumbent or assurgent ; stip. lance- 

 olate ; lfts. 7 to 12 pairs, obcordate or obovate, ped. about as long as the Ivs., few- 

 flowered, fls. pedicellate; cai. teeth subulate, about as long as the tube; leg. curved, 

 pointed, strongly reticulated. — Eiver banks, N. Car. to Pla Plant low and leafy, 

 ascending 4 to 8'. Pis. blue and white. Pod 1' in length. Lfts. 3 to 4" long. , 



4 A. distortus Torr. & Gr. St. and ped. as in No. 3 ; stip. ovate ; Ivs. long- 

 petioled. If is. dblong-obovate, mostly emarginate, 7 to 12 pairs; spikes short; cal. 

 teeth triangular-acuminate, half as long as the tube ; leg. smooth, declimate, curved. — 

 Prairies, "W. 111. (Mead) to Ark. Branches ascending 4 to 6'. Lfts. 3 to 5'' by 1 

 to 2''. Pis. blue, 6'' long. Pods 1' long, beaked with the coiled style. Probably 

 a variety of the last. 



5 A .Mexicanus A. DC. Low, branches decumbent, glabrous ; Ivs. pedunculate, 

 lfts. 7 to 10 pairs, obovate, emarginate; ped. rather longer than the Ivs. ; spikes 

 short, 10 to 15-flo-frered ; leg. globular, obtuse, succulent, sweet-tasted. — Prairies, 

 lU., Mo. to Ark. Plant 3 to 5' high. Lfts. 2 to 3" by 1 to 2". Fls. about 9" 

 long (yellowish white in h. s.), bluish ? Fr. as large as the plum, and " eaten 

 unripe by travelers, raw or cooked." 



39. PHATA, L. (Gr. (^dKi], lentil, from ^dyu, to eat.) Calyx 

 5-toothed, keel obtuse ; stamens diadelphous (9 and 1) ; legume con- 

 tinuous, turgid, 1-celled ; placentje tumid, several-seeded. U Lvs. un- 

 equally pinnate. Fls. in axillary, pedunculate raceme. (Differs from 

 Astragalus only in its fruit.) 



» Plant densely villous. Flowers greenish yellow , No. 1 



» Plant neriTly glabrous. Flowers white or purple Nos. 2—4 



