Lathyrus pratensis. Meadow Vetchling. 



LATHYRUS Linn. Gen. PL Diadelphia Decandria. 



Stylus planus, fupra villofus, fuperne latior". 

 Cal. lacinias fuperiores 2 breviores. 



Rati Syn. Gen. 23 Herb^e flore papilionaceje seu leguminosje.' 



LATHYRUS pratenfis pedunculis multifloris, cirrhis diphyllis fimpliciffimis : foli.olis lanceolatis. Lin 

 Syfi. Vegetab, p. 552. Sp.pl. p. 1033. 



LATHYRUS fcapis multifloris, foliis lanceolatis, capreolis fimplicibus. Haller. hiji. 436. 



LATHYRUS pratenfis. Scopoli Fl. Carniol. p. 64. 



LATHYRUS fylveftris luteus, foliis viciae. Bauhin. pin. 344. 



LATHYRUS luteus fylveftris dumetorum. Baub: hiji. 2. p. 304. /. 304. 



LATHYRUS fylveftris flore luteo. Ger. emac. 1231. Park. 1062. Rati Syn. p, 320. Tare-everlafting, 

 common yellow baftard Vetchling. 



Hudfion, Fl. Angl p. 317. ed. 2. Lightfoot Fl. Scot. p. 391. Oeder. FL Dan. ic. 527. 



RADIX perennis, albida, repens. | ROOT perennial, whitifh and creeping. 



CAULIS pedalis, etiam tripedalis et ultra, debilis, J STALKS a foot high, fometimes even three feet or 



cirrhis fuftentatus, angulatus, fubpilofus, ¥ more, weak, fupported by its tendrils, angular, 



ramofus. | flightly hairy, and branched. 



FOLIA bina, lanceolata, trinervia, fubtus villo- % LEAVES growing in pairs, lanceolate, having three 



f u l a> i ribs, and flightly downy underneath. 



^ETIOLI trigoni, fubpilofi, longitudine ftipularum. | LEAF-STALKS three-cornered, fomewhat hairy, the 



¥ length of the ftipulae. 



STIPULE femifagittatae, latitudine foliorum, hamis | STIPULE in the fhape of anhalf arrow, the breadth 



duobus fubinde inftructi. ¥ of the leaves, fometimes having two projec- 



i tions behind. 



PEDUNCULI tetragoni, longi, fuboaoflori. | FLOWER-STALKS four cornered, long, fupporting 



f about eight flowers. 



FLORES lutei, erecti, racemofi, fecundi. I FLOWERS yellow, upright, growing in a bunch, all 



f one way. 



PEDICELLI teretes, villofi, longitudine calycis. | PARTIAL FLOWER-STALKS round, villous, the 



I length of the calyx. 



CALYX: Perianthium monophyllum, tubulatum, ¥ CALYX: a Peri anthium of one leaf, tubular,, fhort,- 



breve, cylindraceum, fubpilofum, quinque- | cylindrical, fomewhat hairy, furnifhed with 



dentatum, dentibus acuminatis, inferioribus y five teeth, which are long and pointed, the 



longioribus, furfum paulifper curvatis, Jig. 1. | lowermofl longeft, and bent a little upwards. 



COROLLA papilionacea, vexillum fubemarginatum, | COROLLA papilionaceous, Standard flightly notched, 



reflexum, prope bafin fuperne foveis duabus \ turned back, on the upper fide near the bafe 



intus prominentibus notatum Jig. 2 ; Alee I marked with two little cavities which project 



duae ; apice rotundatae Jig. 3 ; Carina longitu- % inwards, fig. 2 ; Wings rounded at top Jig. 3 ; 



dine alarum. Jig. 4. | Keel the length of the wings Jig. 4. 



STAMINA: Filamenta diadelpha, (fimplex et no- | STAMINA: ten Filaments, rifing upwards, nine 



vemfidum, Jig. 5.6. affurgentia ; Anthers % united together, and one forming a feparate 



fubrotundae, flavae. | body; Jig. 5. 6. Anthers roundifh and yellow. 



PISTILLUM : Germen viride, compreffum, oblon- % PISTILLUM : Germen green, flattened, oblong; 



gum; Stylus ere&us, fuperne latior apice | Style upright, broadeft above with a pointed 



acuto ; Stigma a medietate ftyli ad apicem | top; Stigma from the middle of the ftyle 



antice villofum. Jig. 7. a fculptore male ex- % to the top villous on the fore part, fig. y, 



preflum. | badly expreffed in the engraving. 



PERICARPIUM : Legumen fefquiunciale, compreffum, % SEED-VESSEL a Pod an inch and an half long, flat- 



nigricans, continens Semina octo ad duodecim, | ten'd, of a blackifh colour, containing from 



fub rotunda. | eight to twelve roundifh Seeds. 



THE following obfervations on this plant by the ingenious author of Effays relating to Agriculture and rural 

 Affairs, will not be unacceptable to fuch of our readers as are fond of Hufbandry and rural improvements ; before 

 I had feen his remarks, I had often thought it a plant which at leaf! deferved a trial, and might, in particular 

 foils, be cultivated to advantage. I remember once in particular to have feen a piece of ftiff foil belonging to 

 Lord Loughborough, at his feat near Mircham, which produced an excellent crop of pail u rage, confiding chiefly 

 of this plant,and the Feftuca pratenfis. 



It giows very frequently in paftures and hedges, and flowers in June and July. " The 



