292 



A TEXT-BOOK OF BOTANY 



In so vast a family it will be impossible to enumerate all 

 the forms that are well known on account of their common oc- 

 currence or usefulness, but some of them may be mentioned. 

 The sweet pea, wistaria, and lupine suggest the numerous 

 herbaceous forms with showy flowers. In this family also 



Fio. 283. A leguminous plant: A, flowers and pods; B, petals separated to show 

 standard (a), wings (6), and keel petals (c). After WOSSIDLO. 



are found the numerous sensitive plants ( 17) character- 

 istic of southwestern arid regions (Fig. 284). Among the 

 trees the following may be mentioned: common locust, 

 prized for both its showy flowers and its valuable timber; 

 honey locust, beset with conspicuous thorns (Fig. 60) ; red- 

 bud, with numerous pink flowers appearing upon the naked 

 branches in early spring; and the singular coffee-tree. 



Among the useful forms, the so-called forage plants are 

 important; that is, plants used for pasturage or hay, just as 

 are. the grasses. The most common of these is clover, a 



