TREES AND SHRUBS >7 



The Pea Family* (Fabaccae) is one of the largest oc- 

 curing in our range, but most of the species are herbaceous; 

 only a few of them being shrubby and. one native species of 

 small trees. The flowers of almost all of the species of this 

 family are constructed on the plan of a pea blossom, with a 

 large upper petal known as a "banner," two similar side petals 

 called the "'wings, " and the lower two petals united along the 

 lower edge, forming the "keel." The family includes such 

 well known plants as the lupines, the vetches, the clovers, 

 alfalfa, and the loco weeds. Following is a list of the shrubby 

 forms several of which are of great economic importance. 



Coral Bean (Broussonetia secundiflora) is a very beauti- 

 ful evergreen shrub 8 or 10 feet tall, with dark glossy green 

 once compound leaves and violet flowers, followed by large 

 constricted pods containing bright scarlet bean-like seeds. The 

 latter are said to be poisonous. The plant occurs native in 

 the Guadalupe mountains near Carlsbad and would be a very 

 desirable plant to have in cultivation. A single attempt to 

 grow it from the seeds was not successful. 



In the extreme southwestern corner of the State there 

 comes in a good sized shrub (Erythrina flabcllifonnis) with 

 trifoliolate leaves and bright scarlet flowers. The stems are 

 thick and somewhat succulent and beset with scattered hooked! 

 prickles. The corolla is large, elongated, almost 2 inches long 

 in some specimens. It would be well worth cultivation and 

 would no doubt endure the dry hot conditions of our lower 

 levels. 



Parryella filifolia is the name of a low, much branched 

 shrub 2 or 3 feet high, with glandular dotted many foliolate 

 leaves and small dull yellowish green flowers. The fruit is 

 a one-seeded pod about y% inch long, covered with minute yel- 

 lowish glands. The flowers are very inconspicuous and the 

 corolla is entirely wanting. It suggests a small dwarfed mes- 



* In the older texts this and the two preceding families are usually- 

 referred to as Leguminosae. 



