220 



THE PEAFLOWER TRIBE. 



of the corolla shorter than the keel and 

 standard. Pod twice as long as the 

 calyx, the upper edge nearly straight, the 

 lower semicircular, bordered with short 

 teeth, sometimes prickly, the flat sur- 

 face marked with raised veins. 



In limestone districts, in central and 

 southern Europe, and temperate Asia; 

 much cultivated for forage, and occa- 

 sionally naturalized further northward. 

 In Britain, believed to be truly indige- 

 nous in southern and eastern England, 

 but not recorded from Ireland. Fl. 

 early summer. 



Fig. 272. 



XVII. VETCH. VICIA. 



Herbs, with weak stems, often slightly climbing, half-sagittate sti- 

 pules, and pinnate leaves ; the leaflets usually numerous ; the common 

 leafstalk ending in a simple or branched tendril, or at least in a small 

 point. Flowers in the axils of the leaves, solitary, clustered, or in pe- 

 dunculate racemes, blue, purplish, white, or pale-yellow. Petals usually 

 rather narrow. Upper stamen quite free, or connected with the others, 

 at least in the middle. Style cylindrical or slightly flattened, with a 

 tuft of hairs below the stigma on the outer side, or shortly downy all 

 round under the stigma, or rarely quite glabrous. Pod more or less 

 flattened, opening in two valves, with several, or rarely only two seeds, 

 either globular or slightly flattened. 



A numerous genus, widely spread over nearly the whole globe, but 

 most abundant in temperate regions ; in the tropics almost confined to 

 mountain districts, and unknown in Australia. The tendrils distinguish 

 it from all our Leguminous plants, except the following genus, Pea, 

 from which it is absolutely separated chiefly by the style ; but also in 

 all our species, except the Bithynian V., the more numerous and smaller 

 leaflets, and the general shape of the flowers, give it a peculiar aspect 

 easily recognized. The staminal tube is usually much more oblique at 

 the top than in Peas. 



