Ornithopus.] XXV. PAPILIONACE.E. 119 



tubular. Keel obtuse. Stamens diadelphous, the upper one quite free. 

 Pod cylindrical or slightly flattened, much longer than the calyx, often 

 curved, separating when ripe into 1 -seeded articles. 



A genus of few, chiefly south European, with one south American 

 species, differing from Coronilla chiefly in their slender habit and 

 obtuse keel. 



Plant glabrous. Umbel without any bract. Pod slender, terete . 1. 0. ebracteatus. 

 Plant hairy. Umbel with a pinnate leaf -like bract at the base. 

 Pod somewhat flattened 2. 0. perpusillus. 



1. O. ebracteatus, Brot. (fig. 274). Sand B. — Stems very slender, 

 spreading on the ground to the length of 6 inches. Leaflets 9 to 15, small, 

 obovate or oblong, the lowest pair at some distance from the stem. 

 Stipules very small. Peduncles very slender, with an umbel of from 2 

 to 5 minute, yellow flowers. Pods about an inch long, slender, curved, 

 ending in a short, hooked beak, and separating into linear articles. 



In sandy situations, near the sea, chiefly in south-western Europe, 

 extending nearly all round the Mediterranean, and up western France, 

 to the Channel Islands and to the Scilly Isles. Fl. spring, and often 

 again towards autumn. This species has been separated as a genus, 

 under the name of Arthrolobium, adopted in the first edition of this 

 work ; but the character relied on, the absence of the leafy bract, is a 

 very unimportant one. 



2. O. perpusillus, Linn. (fig. 275). Common B. — Stems spreading 

 on the ground, or slightly ascending, to the length of 6 or 8 inches. 

 Leaflets 5 to 10 or sometimes more pairs, with an odd one, small, oval 

 or oblong, and softly hairy, the lowest pair close to the stem. Flowers 

 usually 2 or 3 only on the peduncle, closely sessile over a small, pinnate 

 leaf ; the keel short and obtuse. Pods slightly downy, about 6 lines 

 long, ending in a curved beak ; the articles short and oval. 



In dry pastures, in central and southern Europe, scarcely extending 

 to its eastern limits, and northward only into southern Sweden. Abun- 

 dant in many parts of England and the south of Scotland ; very rare in 

 Ireland, and found on the east side only. Fl. spring and summer. 



XIV. HIPPOCREPIS. HIPPOCEEPIS. 



Herbs or low shrubs, usually glabrous, with pinnate leaves and 

 axillary peduncles, bearing an umbel of yellow flowers, without any 

 leaf. Stamens diadelphous, the upper one quite free. Pod much 

 flattened, of numerous articles, each of them curved like a horseshoe, 

 so that the pod has as many deep notches on one side. 



A genus of but few species, chiefly natives of south-western Europe. 

 In flower they cannot well be distinguished from Coronilla, but the pod 

 is very different. 



1. H. comosa, Linn. (fig. 276). Common H. — Stock perennial, with 

 numerous stems branching at the base, and either short and tufted, 

 or spreading along the ground to the length of 6 inches to a foot. 

 Leaflets 9 to 15, small, obovate, oblong, or linear, and glabrous, the 

 lowest pair at a distance from the stem. Flowers 5 to 8 in the umbel, 

 resembling those of Lotus corniculatus, and with nearly the same pointed 

 keel, but rather smaller and paler. Pod about an inch long, ending in 

 a fine point, the notches of the inner edge broad and deep. 



