PULSE FAMILY. Legumiaosae. 



Lfspedezo. The flowers of this species are clustered 



capituta in small round heads terminating a stiff, 



White straight stalk, which is silky hairy. The 



streaked leaves have three oblong leaflets, and are 



nearly stemless. The flowers are similar to the fore- 

 going species, or they are white, magenta streaked. 

 Visited by the leaf -cutter bee (Megachile brevis) among 

 many others. 2-4 feet high. Same situations every where. 

 Common Vetch -^ climbing annual adventive from Eu- 

 Vida sativa rope where it is cultivated for fodder ; one 

 Purple o f the genus is also extensively cultivated 



May-August in Italy> notably about Nap i es , a nd in the 

 vicinity of Pompeii. The flowers, which are purple or 

 even magenta-pink, grow in pairs or singly at the junc- 

 tion of stem with leaf-stalk. The 8-10 leaflets are obtuse 

 oblong, notched at the tip, and the stalk terminates in 

 two twining tendrils. The pod resembles that of the 

 pea, but it is long and slender. Stem 1-3 feet long. N. 

 Eng., south, and west to Minn, and S. Dak. 

 Cow Vetch ^ P er ennial, and graceful plant climbing 



Vida C'rucca by tendrils, and characterized by a fine, 

 Light violet downy hairiness. The compound leaf has 

 June-August twenty or more lance-shaped leaflets ter- 

 minated abruptly by a bristlelike point. The small 

 bean-blossomlike flower is light violet, the upper petal is 

 lined with a deeper violet ; the cluster is sometimes quite 

 four inches long, and is one-sided ; it grows from be- 

 tween the leaf-stalk and the plant-stem. The color of 

 the foliage is rather gray olive green. Fruit like a small 

 pea-pod. Stem 2-3 feet long. Dry soil, on the borders 

 of thickets, and cultivated fields. Me. and N. J., west 

 to Iowa and Minn. 



Easily distinguished from the foregoing 

 Vicia by itg genera iiy smO oth character and its 



Ligfcrt violet ODtuse elliptical leaflets which are less in 

 number (8-14) and distinctly veined. The 

 light violet flowers are larger, and only 3-9 form the 

 rather loose cluster. 2-3 feet long. In moist soil. Me., 

 south to Va. and Ky., and west to Nev. The Vicias 

 are in general cross-fertilized with the assistance of the 



