LEGUMINOS./E. 429 



spiral coiling of the semi-replum, instead of the alternate flexion of 

 the loment observed in Smithied and Lourea. These peculiarities? 

 along with the separation of the globular articles from the persistent 

 semi-replum at maturity, and their prompt bivalvular dehiscence, will 

 surely warrant the establishment of a distinct genus for this plant, 

 notwithstanding its close resemblance to Adesmia in other respects. 



The name, compounded of st^sttt^, twisted, and fl&rjia, a bond, is 

 expressive of a characteristic of the fruit. 



Plate 47. — Streptodesmia canescens : a branch, of the natural size. 

 Fig. 1. A portion of the inflorescence, with mature fruit, enclosed by 

 the persistent calyx and corolla. 2. Calyx. 3. Corolla displayed. 

 4. Stamens and pistil. 5. Pistil. 6. An immature loment. 7. A 

 mature loment, 8. A mature loment, with the articles separating 

 from the persistent and twisted ventral suture. 9. A seed. 10. Lon- 

 gitudinal section of the same.— The details variously enlarged. 



55. ^ESCHYNOMENE, Linn. 



1. iESGHYNOMENE RUDIS, Bentll. 



jEschynomene rudis, Benth. PL Hartweg. p. 116, no. 649. 



Hab. " Rio Janeiro, Brazil," according to the ticket : but, perhaps, 

 from Peru, where alone this species has hitherto been found; the 

 original specimens having been gathered near Lima by Cuming, and 

 at Guayaquil by Hartweg. 



* It may here be noted that Smithia spicata, Spreng. Neue Entd. 2, p. 160, truly 

 belongs to that genus, as now received by Bentham (in PI. Jungh.) : it is a species of 

 his section Kotschya (genus Kotschya, Endl.), nearly allied to the S. strigosa from Mada- 

 gascar, and with flowers of about the same size, the fructiferous calyx not more than 3 

 lines in length. The lobes of the latter are, however, very obtuse ; the bractlets oblong- 

 falcate and barely acute, approximate to the reflexed calyx; the spikes rather shorter 

 than the leaves ; and the rigid leaflets fully as long as those of S. Kotschyi, but nar- 

 rower. The original specimens in the herbarium of Professor Torrey (from whom 

 Sprengel received his materials) are said to have been collected in the " West Indies, 

 probably Guadalupe/' by Mr. Perrin. The plant, however, was most probably brought 



from Eastern Africa. 



108 



