72 DICOTYLEDONOUS. 



(a.) Flowers of two kinds. Some with all the organs perfectly developed apparently, 

 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" oues usu- 

 ally occupying a lower situation than the others. 



1. L. Procumbens. Sfem procumbent, tomentose, slender, heaves ter- 

 nate ; leaflets oval, emarginate, very pubescent. Flowers on axillary pedun- 

 cles. Calyx slighily bilabiate, shorter than the corolla. 'Legume nearly round, 

 pubescent. 



Purple. %. Aug. — Oct. In dry soils, common. 2-3 feet. 



2. L. Repens. Stem prostrate, nearly glabrous. Leaves ternate, on short 

 petioles; leaflets obovate, ehptical, slightly pubescent on the under surface. 

 Flowers on axillary filiform peduncles. Legumes minutely pubescent, near- 

 ly round. 



Purple. %-. Aug. — Oct.- In dry sandy soils. 1--2 ft. 



3. L. Sessiliflora. ^tem erect, branching pubescent. Leaufis ternate; 

 leaflets eliptic, sprinkled with hairs, mucronate. Flowers in small, nearly 

 sessile clusters, sometimes in small racemes. Calyx hairy, hegumes pubes- 

 cent, mucronate, ovate. 



Pale violet. %. Sept. Dry sandy soils. 2-3 feet. 



4. L. Stuvei. S^^w simple or branching, erect, pubescent. Leaves ter- 

 nate, tomentose ; leaflets oval or nearly round, flowers in axillary racemes 

 or spikes, few flowered ; peduncles longer than the leaves. Legumes pubes- 

 cent ovate a little longer than the calyx. 



%. Sept. Dry sandy soils. 2-3 feet. 



(6.) Flowers all perfect and fertile in dense oblong or nearly glabrous spikes. 



5. L. HiRTA. S^em erect branching, whole plant pubescent. Leaves ter- 

 nate, nearly sessile ; leaflets riearly orbicular or obovate, covered with soft 

 pubescence. Flowers in axillary, oblong spikes; peduncles 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. %. Sept. Common. 3-4 ft. 



6. L. Capitata. Stem erect, pubescent, scarcely branched. Leaves ter- 

 nate on short petioles ; leaflets eliptical, obtuse, pubescent. Flowers in dense, 

 axillary, capitate spikes; peduncles short ; calyx hairy, three nerved ; vex- 

 illum with a purple spot near the base. Legume oval, pubescent. 



White. % Aug.— Sept. Middle Car. & Geo. 4--6 feet. 



7. L. Angustifolia. Similar to the preceding species, but the leaflets 

 vary from eliptical-oblong to linear, are smaller than those of the L. Capitata. 



Grows through middle and Southern Car. & Geo. 4--5 feet. 



Reinarks.— The two preceding Genera are exceedingly perplexing in arranging 

 descriptions even ot well known species, from the frequent variations produced by 

 dififereul circumstances ; and were we to disregard these variations, and describe the 

 specimens as varieties or distinct species we should multiply the species and varie- 

 ties to an indefinite extent. We have given descriptions of those which are well es- 

 tablished species. We have little doubt that there are other species, when sufficient 

 examination shall have determined their characteristics. 



Genus XXXIV. CROTALARIA. 



Calyx slightly bilabiate, 5-cleft. Vexillum cordate, large; 

 keel generally acuminate ; wings somewhat plicate towards 

 the base. Stamens monadelphoiis, the tube cleft on the upper 

 side ; the 5 alternate anthers smaller. Legume pedicillate, 

 turgid. Seeds reniform. Herbaceous plants with yellow 

 flowers. 



1. C. Sagittalis. Stem erect, branching, hirsute. Leavea simple, nearly 



