418 DIADELPHIA DECANDRIA 



slender loose raceme, on a terminal peduncle often shorter than the upper leave 

 oblique (sometimes nearly twice as long, and erect) ; pedicels 1 third to 3 fourth' 

 of an inch long, very slender, minutely pubescent; lower bract lance-subulate 

 hirsute. Calyx minutely hirsute ; segments short, ovate, nearly equal, CW/' 

 whitish, or reddish white, small. Legume on a stipe nearly as long as the pedicel- 

 joints 2or3, (sometimes 1), slightly connected, broad, semi-obovate, concave on the 

 upper margin, or often nearly straight, rounded on the lower one, clothed on the 

 Bides with a short cinereous and very tenacious pubescence. 



Hub. Eachus's clearing, West Chester: rare. Fl. August. Fr. September. 



Obs. Collected by D. Townsbnd, Esq. In 1831. This seems to be rare, here* 

 and is liable to be passed over as a starved variety of 1). acuminatum^— with which 

 it agrees pretty closely in Its fruit; though the leaves are differently disposed 

 and have more resemblance to those of D. nudiflorum. It was sent, with gome 

 other species, to Dr. Boott, who promptly recognized it. I have since received 

 good Kentucky specimens from my i ndcfutigablo and obliging friend, Prof. .Short 



11. D. nudiflorum, DC. Stem erect, simple, puberulent, leafy a t 

 summit ; lateral leaflets obliquely ovate, the terminal one dilated, rhom- 

 boid-ovate, all subacuminate and pubescent-ciliate ; racemes paniculate 

 on a very long naked scape from the base of the stem ; legumes stipi. 

 tate, with 3 or 4 obtusely-triangular joints. Beck, Bot. /;. 85. 

 Hedysarum nudiflorum. L. and most of the Authors here quoted. 



NAK ED-FLO WKIIKD DeSXODIUM. 



Root perennial. Stem 6 to 12 inches high, angular-striate, minutely pubescent 

 —the leaves all crowded at the summit. Leaflets an inch and half to 3 or 4 inchei 

 long, and 1 to 2 or 3 inches wide, abruptly acute, or subacuminate, green and a 

 little scabrous on the upper surface, somewhat glaucous beneath, and slightly hairy 

 on the nerves, pubescent-ciliate on the margin,— the lateral ones obliquely ovate, 

 the terminal one larger, rhomboid-ovate ; common petioles 2 to 5 or 6 inches long, 

 striate-sulcate, somewhat pilose ; stipules subulate-linear, hairy, caducous. Floic* 

 ers in a slender racemose panicle, on a scape 18 inches to 3 feet Id length, which 

 proceeds from near the root, and is mostly decumbent at base, becoming nearly 

 upright at a little distance from the stein, and appearing like a distinct plant,- 

 scape smoothish, mostly naked, sometimes with 1 or 2 trifoliate leaves below the 

 panicle (often 2 scapes from the base of the same stem) ; pedicels half an inch to 

 near an inch long, very slender ; lower bract lance-subulate, pilose. Colyi 

 smoothish, whitish, striate with purple, finally spreading; seg?ncnts short, oliuse, 

 nearly equal, the lower one more acute, and somewhat pilose. Corolla purple, 

 with the keel whitish,— vexillum roundish-obovate, emarg mate, with 2 fuscous or 

 dark purplish-brown spots near the base, within. Legume on a slender stipe 

 nearly as long as the pedicel ; joints usually 3 or 1, rather slightly connected, 

 somewhat triangular, the lower angle obtuse or rounded, the upper margin nearly 

 straight, or slightly concave, the sides rather sparingly and inconspicuously un- 

 cinate-pubescent. 



Hab. Woodlands: common. Fl. July— August. Fr. September. 



12. D. hotukdtfoltum, DC. Stem prostrate, angular, hirsute ; leaf. 

 lets orbicular, hairy ; stipules obliquely ovate, reflex ed ; racemes axillary, 

 and terminally paniculate, few-flowered ; bracts cordate ; legumes with 

 3 to 5 subrhomboid reticulated uncinately-hispid joints. Beck, Bot. 

 p. 86. 



Hedysarum rotundifolium. Jllx. Am. 2. p. 72. Per*. Syn. 2, p. 322. 



