428 DIADELPHIA DECANDRIA 



the stem, 2 to 8 or 10 inches long, filiform, often branching, and minutely bracteate 

 near the middle, retrorsely pubescent, mostly with a solitary legume at the ex- 

 tremity, which is buried in the loose earth, or under old leaves, near the root. 

 Calyx tubular, a little gibbous at base on the upper side, pilose, 1-clcft; segments 

 lance-ovate, acuminate, nearly equal. Corolla pale purple tinged with violet (often 

 nearly white). Caulinc legumes about an inch long, and 1 fourth of an inch wide 

 subfalcate, acuminate at each end, stipitate, the stipe with a short cyliudric sheath 

 at base ; valves smooth ish, the sutures hirsute; seeds 3 or 4, sub-reniform, (l ar ^ 

 purple. Hypogaan legumes about 1 -third of an inch long, compressed, sub-or- 

 bicular, or pyri for m-obo vale, sessile, hirsute, tawny, 1-seeded ; seed large orbicu- 

 lar, compressed, of a motley reddish-brown. 



Hub. Woodlands, and thickets: frequent Fl. August. Fr. September- October. 

 Obs. The cauline petal-bearing flowers of this curious plant are generally 

 abortive ; but I have occasionally found clusters of perfect legumes. There is one 

 other species in the U. States, viz. the A. surmentosa ;— which, from my ignorance 

 of the plant, and at the suggestion of a Botanical friend, I inserted, with a mark 

 of doubt, in my former Catalogue. On re-examining my specimen, since the Dee- 

 modiums of this work were printed, I have the mortification to find that my sup- 

 posed A. surmentosa is neither more nor less than Desmodtum paucijloium ! 



350. APIOS. floerh. Nutt* Gen. 614. 

 [Greek, Apios, a Pear ; in allusion to its pyriform tubers.] 



Calyx bibractcatc at base, campanulate, with 4 rounded obsolete teeth, 

 and 1 longer acute tooth under the keel. Keel linear, falcate, reflect- 

 ing the apex of the vex ilium. Ovary shortly stipitate, the stipe with 

 a minute sheath at base ; stigma emarginate. Legume coriaceous, 

 many-seeded. 



1. A. tuberosa, Mctnch. Stem volubile ; leaves odd-pinnate ; leaf- 

 lets ovate-lanceolate, fleck, flot.p. 91. 



Glycine apios. WittcL Sp. 3. /;. 1067. Mx. Am. 2. p. 63, Per*. 

 Syn. 2. p. 301. Ait. Kew. 4. />. 298. Muhl Catal p. 64. fligel. Most. 

 p. 277. IAndl. Ency. p. 618. 



Phaseolus, Sub-genus Apios. Eat. Man* p. 269. 

 Tuberous Apios. Vulgo — Ground nut. Wild Bean. 



Root perennial, producing oval tubers half an inch or more in diameter, at the 

 base of the stem, and moniliform on the principal fibres. Stem 4 to 6 or 8 feet long, 

 slender, striate, slightly scabrous and hairy, sparingly branched, volubile and 

 climbing. Leaflets 3 to 7 (mostly in fives), an inch and half to 3 inches long, and 

 half an inch to an inch wide, ovate-lanceolate, acute, or subacuminate, subcori- 

 aceouB, reticulately veined, slightly scabrous and sprinkled with hairs, on short 

 hairy petioles ; comrtW7i petioles 1 to 2 inches long below the leaflets ; stipules sub- 

 ulate-linear. Racemes axillary, oblong, dense flowered, an inch or inch and half 

 long, and about an inch in diameter, on peduncles half an inch to an inch in length; 

 pedicels 2 or 3 lines long, with small linear bracts at base. Calyx smooth, with 2 

 small subulate very caducous bracts at base. Corolla a dingy brownish purple, 

 with tinges of green,— -the keel linear, recurved, pushing back the apex of the 

 vexillum. Legume about 2 inches long, subfalcate, acuminate, smoothish. Seeds 

 rcniform. 

 Uab. Low grounds ; thickets, and fence-rows : frequent. Fl. Aug. Fr. Sept-Octo 



O65. The Jlowers of this are rather handsome, and pleasantly fragrant. The 

 tubers, on the roots, are said to be esculent and nutritious,— for which Prof. Eaton 

 thinks the plant is worthy of culture. It is the only species of the genu*. 



