288 ORDER XLIII. I/EGUMINOSJS. 



Genus XXXVIL— DESMO'DIUM. D. C. 16—10. 

 (From tho Greek desmos, a band ; the stamens being often connected.) 



Calyx 5-cleft, bilabiate ; upper lip 2-cleft or 2-toothed, the 

 lower lip 3-cleft or 3-toothed, usually bracteolate, bearing the 

 corolla at its base. Vexillum nearly round ; keel obtuse. 

 Stamens 10, sometimes partially monadelphous, but usually di- 

 adelphous. Stigma capitate. Legume composed of several 1- 

 seeded joints, compressed. Leaves usually trifoliate. Flowers 

 becoming more or less green by age. Herbaceous and suftruc- 

 ticose plants. Hedysarum, L. 



1. D. nudiflo'rum, (D. C.) Stern simple, erect, pubescent, leafy at the 

 summit. Leaves ternate ; leaflets oval or broad-ovate, acuminate, pale 

 beneath, slightly scabrous above. Flowers in an elongated, loose pani- 

 cle, on a leafless stalk or scape from the root. Pedicels filiform. Calyx 

 with short teeth, spreading, the lower tooth longest. Petals nearly 

 equal, the vexillum marked by two dark spots at the base. Sta?nens 

 monadelphous. Legume pubescent, 3 — 4-jointed, stiped. — Purple. U . 

 July — Aug. Common in rich, shaded soils of middle Geo. 6 — 12 

 inches. 



2. D. acuminatum, (D. C.) Stem erect, simple, pubescent, leafy at 

 the summit. Leaves ternate ; leaflets ovate, nearly orbicular, acumi- 

 nate, terminal one the broadest, on long petioles, slightly hairy. Flow- 

 ers in a terminal panicle, with a very long naked peduncle, 1 — 2 feet. 

 Calyx 4-toothed. Petals nearly equal in length. Stamens monadel- 

 phous. Legume with 2 — 4 rounded joints. — Nearly white, or pale vio- 

 let. If. June — Aug. Common in shaded places. 10 — 15 inches. 



3. D. canes'cens, (D. C.) Stem erect, hairy, scabrous, branching, 

 striate. Leaves ternate; leaflets ovate, tapering at the apex, pubescent 

 on both sides, stipulate. Flowers in large terminal, canescent panicles. 

 Calyx hairy, conspicuously bilabiate, with acute segments. Corolla 

 much larger than the calyx. Legume large, 3 — 6-jointed, scarcely sti- 

 ped, truncate at each end. — Violet-purple. If. July — Aug. Moist 

 soils. Common. 3 — 4 feet. 



4. D. cuspida'tum, (T. <fe G.) Stem erect, glabrous toward the base, 

 scabious near the summit. Leaves ternate ; leaflets ovate, acute, acu- 

 minate into a long point. Flowers in large, sparingly-branched pani- 

 cles, 1 — 2 feet long ; bracts large. Calyx 5-clefi, the lower segment 

 long. Corolla large. Stamens diadelphous. Legume scabrous ; seg- 

 ments nearly triangular, 3 — 6. — Purplish-violet. %. Aug. — Sept. 

 Common on the banks of streams. 4 — 5 feet. 



5. D. vruiniFLo'RUM, (Beck.) Stem erect, pubescent. Leaves ternate ; 

 leaflets ovate, obtuse, scabrous on the upper surface, villous beneath. 

 Flowers in an elongated, naked panicle. Peduncles scabrous. Calyx 

 hairy, short, the lower segment longest. Stamens generally diadel- 

 phous. Legume with 3 — 4 oblong, triangular joints. — Purplish. If. 

 June — Oct. Common. 3 — 5 feet. 



6. D. rhombifo'uum, (D. C.) St<m erect, pubescent. Leaves ternate, 

 somewhat coriaceous; leaflets rhomboidal, obtuse, pubescent along the 

 veins, rugose, paler beneath. Flowers in compound racemes, 6cabroua ; 



