152 Notes on Indian Botany, 



in the character of the legume, which thereby admits this 

 species without violence, or rendering the rest of the group 

 less natural than before. 



N. congesta, (R. W. Icones No. 1056) suffruticose, dif- 

 fuse, procumbent ; all the young parts except the upper 

 surface of the leaves pubescent, or hairy: leaves pinnately 

 3-foliate, or simple by abortion ; leaflets from elliptic-obtuse to 

 suborbicular, sometimes tending to obovate, slightly cordate, 

 mucronate, sparingly pubescent beneath: racemes terminal 

 capitulate : segments of the calyx subulate, setosely hairy : 

 legume compressed, 1 -seeded: seed reniform. 



Hab. — On the banks of the Pycariah river, Neilgherries, 

 frequent: sparingly about Ootacamund. Flowering during 

 the cool season, but probably to be met with in flower at 

 all seasons. 



Obs. — This is a procumbent, very diffuse plant, two or three 

 feet long, much resembling in habit and general appearance, 

 Desmodium triflorum, except in the inflorescence, which is 

 capitulately congested on the extremities of the branches : 

 branches terete, the older ones woody, glabrous : stipules and 

 bracts scariose, ciliated with soft white pubescence. The 

 leaves vary much in size, generally they are simple, being 

 reduced to the terminal leaflet, but the lateral pair is suffici- 

 ently frequent to show, that such is the normal form. The ter- 

 minal leaflet, when all are present, larger, often broader above, 

 subcuniate, generally oblong elliptic, slightly cordate at the 

 base. Inflorescence, racemose, congested, forming terminal 

 capitula. Segments of the calyx narrow, subulate, clothed 

 with coarse setaceous brown hairs ; longer than the small 

 purple corolla. Legume reniform glabrous, 1 -seeded. Seed 

 lenticular, reniform. 



