ORDER XLITi. — LEGUMINOSJE. 203 



globose, or ovate-lanceolate, generally villous. — Yellow. 2f . April — ■ 

 May. In dry soils. Common. 2 — 3 feet. 



3. B. tincto'ria, (Br.) Stem glabrous. Leaves ternate, nearly ses- 

 sile; leaflets obovate. Flowers in terminal racemes, few. Legumes 

 email, glabrous, on long stipes. — Yellow. 2f . June — Aug. Common 

 in dry soils. 1 — 2 feet. Wild Indigo 



4. B. austra'lis, (Br.) Stem glabrous, somewhat decumbent. Leaves 

 ternate, nearly sessile ; leaflets cuneiform, obtuse. Stipules often per- 

 sistent, lanceolate. Flowers in long racemes, large, vexillum shorter 

 than the wing. Legumes large, acuminate, oblong. — Blue. 2f . June 

 — July. In moist soils. 2 — 3 feet. 



5. B. villo'sa, (Ell.) Stem villous, pubescent, branched. Leaves 

 ternate, nearly sessile ; leaflets lanceolate-oblong, or slightly cuneate, 

 pubescent when young, afterward nearly or quite glabrous. Flowers in 

 terminal elongated racemes. Pedicels erect. Bracts subulate. Cali/x 

 4-cleft, with appressed hairs. Corolla 4-cleft. Legumes oblong, woolly. 

 —Grayish, if. June — July. Middle Geo. 2—3 feet. 



6. B. al'ba, (Br.) Stem branching, glabrous. Leaves ternate, on 

 slender petioles; leaflets lanceolate, cuneate, obtuse. Flowers in elon- 

 gated racemes. Pedicels filiform. Calyx 4-cleft, segments short, upper 

 one emarginate. Legumes cylindrical, inflated. Seeds small. — White. 

 If. March — April. Common. 1 — 2 feet. 



7. B. bractka'ta, (Mich.) Stem pubescent, branching from the base ; 

 branches divaricate Leaves ternate on short petioles or sessile ; leaflets 

 lanceolate or oblong-ovate. Stipules large, foliaceous, persistent. Flow- 

 ers large, in declined, many-flowered racemes. Pedicels long, drooping. 

 Bracts like the stipules. Calyx 4-cleft, the upper one broadest and 

 emarginate. Legume inflated villous. — Grayish. If. April — May. 

 Middle Geo. 1 — 2 feet. B. leucophcea, Nutt. 



The baptising are quite conspicuous among the flowering plants of tlie early part of 

 summer. The B. Unctoria possesses valuable properties. It is decidedly antiseptic, 

 and, <m this account, is used in cases approaching mortification, either internally, or 

 applied to the surface in the form of cataplasms, as the case requires. It is an emetic 

 and cathartic in large doses, but in smail ones is a mild laxative. The. root is the part 

 generally used, but the whole plant is said to possess similar properties. 



Genus XLIIL— SOPH'ORA. L. 16—10. 

 (From sophero, an Arabic name of a tree.) 



Calyx campanulate, obliquely truncate. Vexillum obovate 

 or roundish, equal in length with the other petals. Ovary 

 nearly sessile, linear ; ovules numerous. Legume raoniliform, 

 indehiscent. 



1. S. tomento'sa, (L.) A tree. Leaves pinnate ; .leaflets 15 — 19, 

 roundish-oval, obtuse, canescently tomentose on the under side. Flow- 

 ers in racemes, vexillum emarginate. — Yellow. T <> . Tampa Bay, Flo 



Genus XLIV.— CLADRAS'TRIS. Raf. 16—10. 



Calyx cylindrical, campanulate, 5-toothed. Petals on rather 

 long claws ; vexillum large, roundish, entire. Stamens distinct. 



