The Sweet Pea. 225 



LATHYRUS— THE SWEET PEA. 



Natural Order, Leguminosse ; Linnaean System, Diadelphia, Decandria. 

 Generic Distinctions :— Calyx, campanulate, the two upper segments 

 shorter; style, flat, dilated above; corolla, papilionaceous ; stamens, dia- 

 delph° us ' 



ipandifiorus.— Hairy ; stems, four-angled, winged ; leaves, with one pair 

 f ovate, obtuse leaflets; stipules, small, lanceolate; peduncles, two, 

 tbree-flowered, longer than the leaves ; teeth of the calyx, acute, longer 

 than the tube: legumes, long, linear, tuberculous PI. 31. Fig. 1. 



Lathyrus is the ancient Greek name of the Sweet Pea, or 

 some other leguminous plant. The genus is well known from 

 the beautiful annual sweet peas which it includes, and which 

 are so common in gardens. The species figured here, is a 

 perennial, and is a very handsome climber, its flowers being 

 as large and brilliant as the largest sweet pea, but destitute 

 of fragrance. It is a native of the South of Europe, where it 

 grows in great abundance among hedges and bushes. It is 

 said to be particularly abundant in Sicily and on Mount Etna. 

 It is somewhat cultivated in this country, where it will grow, 

 like the common sweet pea, in any common garden soil. Its 

 root is creeping, and when it has once taken possession of the 

 soil, it is difficult to eradicate it. It is easily propagated by 

 dividing the roots, or by planting the seeds. 



There is an European species, L. sativus, which has been 

 used in making bread, and the history of which is so singular 

 as to be worthy of notice. The seeds being ground and 

 mixed with wheat flour in half the quantity, produce a very 

 good bread, which appears to be harmless. But bj ead made 

 with this flour only, has brought on a most surprising rigidity 

 of the limbs in those who have used it for a length of time, 

 insomuch that the exterior muscles could not by any means be 

 reduced, or have their natural action restored." These symp- 

 toms usually appeared pn a sudden, without any previous 

 pain ; but sometimes they were preceded by a weakness and 

 disagreeable sensation about the knees. Swine fattened 

 with this meal lost the use of their limbs, but grew very fat 

 lying on the ground. A horse, fed some months on the dried 

 Vol. I.— 15. 



