DIADELPHIA DECANDRIA 423 



Procumbent Lespedeza. 



Root perennial. Stem 2 to 3 feet long, oflen several from the same root, very 

 pubescent, trailing, branching ; branches erect, or assurgent. Leaflets 1 third to 

 3 fourths of an inch long, and 1 fourth to 2 thirds of an inch wide, oval, or obovate, 

 often emarginate, mucronate, pubescent; common petioles 1 line to half an inch 

 Ion", grooved on the upper side, very pubescent ; stipules subulate'. Flowers cap- 

 itate or in a sufcumbellate (sometimes oblong) raceme, at the summit of erect axil- 

 lary peduncles 1 to 2 or 3 inches long. Calyx pilose ; segments subulate-lanceo- 

 late. Corolla purple with strong tinges of violet. Legume 2 or 3 times as long as 

 l he calyx, compressed, orbicular-ovate, pubescent with short appressed hairs. 



Hob. Sandy banks, and dry woodlands : frequent. JR. August. Fr. October. 



Obs. I have smoother specimens, collected on the Brandy wine hills by D. 

 Townsend, Esq. which seem to be intermediate between this and the true pros- 

 tata (or repens, of Muhl. and Dart. Phil.) ; but I have some doubts of their being 

 really distinct from [the present species. Two or three additional species arc enu- 

 merated in the U. States. 



B. S arco lo b ejb — Seeds -with thick fleshy or farinaceous cotyledons y 

 not becoming green leaves in germination ; esculent. 



4. Vicia Tribe. Legume many-seeded, dehiscent. Leaves mostly even-pinnate 

 and cirrhose, the primordial ones alternate. Vicieje. DC. 



344. CICER. Tournef. DC. Prodv. 2. p. 354. 

 [The Latin name for a species of vetch ; applied to this genus.] 



Calyx 5-parted, the 4 upper segments incumbent on the vcxillum ; 

 tube more or less gibbous at base on the upper side. Legume turgid, 

 2-sceded. Seeds gibbous, mucronate. 



1. C. arietinum, L. Leaves odd-pinnate ; leaflets cuneate-obovate, 

 serrate ; stipules lanceolate, sub denticulate ; calyx slightly gibbous. 

 DC. Prodr. 2. p. 354. 



Ram Cicer. Vulgo — Coffee Pea. Chick Pea. 

 Gallice — Le Pois chiche. Germ. — Die Kicher. Hisp, — Garb/inzo. 

 Plant canescent, glandular-pilose, the hairs secreting oxalic acid. Root annual. 

 Stem 9 to 18 ifiches high, siUcate-striate, somewhat flexuose, branching. Leaflets 

 about half an inch long, and 1 sixth to 1 fourth,- of an inch wide, in 4 to 6 pairs 

 (often alternate), with a terminal odd one instead of a tendril; stipules ovate-Ian. 

 ceolate, often triful. Flowers solitary, axilla?}/ ; peduncles half an inch to an inch 

 long, slender, with 2 opposite subulate bracts ?iear the middle. Calyx-segments 

 lanceolate, unequal, the longest ones about as lo?ig as the wings of the corolla. 

 Corolla white. Legume about 3 fourths of an inch long, and near half an inch in 

 diameter, turgid, clothed with glandular hairs. Seeds gibbous, inform remarka- 

 bly resembling a ram's head. 



Hab. Gardens : not very common. PL July— September. Fr. August— October. 

 Obs. This is sometimes cultivated for the seeds,- which, it is said, afford a tol- 

 erable substitute for coffee. There are no native species in tlu U. States* 



345. FAB A. Tournef. JD C. Prodr. 2. p. 354. 

 [The Latin name for a bean ; appropriated to this genus.] 



Calyx tubular, 5-cleft, the 2 upper segments shorten Style bent at a 



