222 



THE PEAFLOWER TRIBE. 



2, Slender Veteh. Vicia tetrasperma, Moench. (Fig. 274.) 

 (Ervum, Eng. Bot. t. 1223.) 



( /J/Q A slender annual, glabrous or nearly 

 so, the weak stems often climbing, from 

 6 inches to near 2 feet long. Leaflets 

 narrow, the lower ones obtuse, 3 to 6 

 pairs in each leaf, the tendrils simple or 

 branched. Peduncles slender, with 1 to 

 6 or 7 pale -bluish flowers, longer than in 

 the hairy V., but much smaller than in 

 any other British Vetch, seldom exceed- 

 ing 3 lines. Calyx-teeth much shorter 

 than the standard. Pod flat, not above 

 6 lines long, usually containing about 4 

 seeds, but sometimes 5 or 6. 



In fields, hedges, and waste places, all 

 over temperate Europe and Russian Asia. 

 Not uncommon in England, more rare 

 in Scotland and Ireland. Fl. the whole 

 summer. A variety with more pointed 

 leaflets, and with the number of seeds 



more frequently 5 or 6, has been distinguished under the name of V. 



gracilis (Eng. Bot. Suppl. t. 2904). 



Fig. 274. 



tf\ 



3. Tufted Vetch. Vicia Cracca, Linn. (Fig. 275.) 

 (Eng. Bot. t 1168.) 



Rootstock perennial, the annual stems 

 weak, and climbing by means of the 

 branched tendrils, to the length of 2 or 

 3 feet or rather more ; the whole plant 

 hairy, or nearly glabrous. Stipules nar- 

 row and entire. Leaflets numerous, ob- 

 long or linear, the largest 8 or 9 lines 

 long. Flowers numerous, in one-sided 

 racemes, on peduncles rather longer than 

 the leaves, of a fine bluish-purple, each 

 one about 5 lines long. Style hairy all 

 round below the stigma. Pod flattened, 

 glabrous, about an inch long, with 6 or 

 8 seeds. 



In hedges and bushy places, through- 

 out Europe and Russian Asia, from the 

 b ' ' Mediterranean to the Arctic Circle, and 



in northern America; Common in Britain. Fl. summer. 



