290 ORDER XLIII. LEGUMINOSJC. 



Genus XXXVIIL— LESPEDE'ZA. Mich. 16— la 

 (In honor of Lespedez, Governor of Florida.) 



Calyx 5-cleft, with nearly equal segments, with 2 bracteole3 

 at the base. Corolla inserted into the base of the calvx ; vex- 

 ilium unguiculate, oblong, or nearly round, generally with an 

 appendage at the base ; keel obtuse, as long as the wings, on 

 long claws ; wings straight. Stamens diadelphous. Stigma 

 capitate. Legume lenticular, flat, unarmed, 1-seeded. Peren- 

 nial or suflructicose plants, with ternate, reticulated leaves. 



(or.) Flowers of two kinds. Some with all the organs perfectly developed appa- 

 rently, but seldom perfecting their fruit. Others perfecting their fruit, but generally 

 destitute of corolla and stamens. Both kinds may be on the same plant; the fertile 

 ones usually occupying a lower situation than the others. 



1. L. procum'bens, (Mich.) Stem procumbent, tomentose, slender. 

 Leaves ternate; leaflets oval, emarginate, very pubescent. Flowers on 

 axillary peduncles. Calyx slightly bilabiate, shorter than the corolla. 

 Legume nearly round, pubescent. — Purple. 2£. Aug. — Oct. In dry 

 soils. Common. 2 — 3 feet. 



2. L. re'pens, (T. & G.) Stem prostrate, nearly glabrous. Leaves 

 ternate, on short petioles ; leaflets obovate, elliptical, slightly pubescent 

 on the under surface. Flowers on axillary, filiform peduncles. Legumes 

 minutely pubescent, nearly round. — Purple. If. Aug. — Oct. In dry, 

 sandy soils. 1 — 2 feet. 



3. L. sessilflo'ra, (T. <fe G.) Stem erect, branching, pubescent. Leaves 

 ternate ; leaflets elliptic, sprinkled with hairs, mucronate. Flowers in 

 small, nearly sessile clusters, sometimes in small racemes. Calyx hairy. 

 Legumes pubescent, mucronate, ovate. — Pale violet. 2£. Sept. Dry, 

 sandy soils. 2 — 3 feet. 



4. L. Stu'vei, (Nutt.) Stem simple or branching, erect, pubescent. 

 Leaves ternate, tomentose; leaflets oval or nearly round. Flowers in 

 axillary racemes or spikes, few-flowered. Peduncles longer than the 

 leaves. Legumes pubescent, ovate, a little longer than the calyx. — If. 

 Sept. Dry, sandy soils. 2 — 3 feet. 



b. Flowers all perfect and fertile, in dense oblong or nearly globose 



spikes. 



5. L. hir'ta, (Ell.) Stem erect, branching, whole plant pubescent. 

 Leaves ternate, nearly sessile ; leaflets nearly orbicular or obovate, cov- 

 ered with soft pubescence. Flowers in axillary, oblong spikes. Pedun- 

 cles long. Calyx hairy, with narrow, lanceolate segments. Petals 

 nearly equal, about as long as the calyx. Vexillum with a purple spot 

 in the center. Legume hairy, oval, swollen. — 'Nearly white or light 

 yellowish-brown. 2f . Sept. Common. 3 — 4 feet. 



6. L. capita'ta, (Mich.) Stem erect, pubescent, scarcely branched. 

 Jjeaves ternate, on short petioles ; leaflets elliptical, obtuse, pubescent. 

 Flowers in dense, axillary, capitate spikes. Peduncles short. Calyx 

 hairy, 3-nerved. Vexillum with a purple spot near the base. Legume 

 oval, pubescent.— White. 2f. Aug. — Sept. Middle Car. and Geo. 

 4—6 feet. 



