Neptunia.] LEG-TJMINOSM. 307 



Flowers during the rains and the cold season. The plant is used as a 

 pothert). 



2. N. triquetra, Benth. in Hook. Journ. Bat. iv, 355 ; D. Sf G. Bomb. 



Fl. 84 ; F. B. 1. a, 286. Mimosa triquetra, VaU ; Uoxb. ; Fl. Ind. ii, 552. 

 Desmanthus triquetrus, Willd. ; ii'. ^ A. Prod. 270. 



A low diffuse perennial herb with slender ascending angalar stems 

 PinncB 2-6, an inch or less long, with a gland on the rachis between the 

 lowest pair ; stipules subulate ; leaflets i4-l5 pairs, hi in. long, linear- 

 oblong, subacute, ciliate at the edges. Flowers minute, in small globose 

 heads ; "peduncles solitary, usually with 2 caducous bracts near the 

 middle. Sterile flowers few or 0. Pod. ^-I in., stalked, oblong, very 

 shortly beaked, 4-6-seeded, valves membranous. 



Bundelkhand (Edgeworth). Distbtb. Central Prov. and S. India, 



N. plena, Benth., a native of Trop. America, is mentioned in the Fl. 

 Brit. India as having been introduced into the N. W. Provinces. It 

 occurs also in Bengal, and is described by Roxburgh under the name 

 of Mimosa Adenanthera. It closely resembles JSf. oleracea, but has a 

 very much longer pod. 



66. ADENANTHERA, Linn. ; Fl. Brit. Ind. 287. 



Erect trees without spines or tendrils. Leaves ample, bipinnate. 

 Fhioers minute, in narrow spike-like panicled racemes, hermaphro- 

 dite, usually 5-merous. Calyx campanulate, equally toothed. 

 Petals valvate, equal, lanceolate, cohering only at the very base. 

 Stamens 10, free, equalling the corolla ; anthers tipped with a gland. 

 Ovaru sessile, many-ovuled ; style filiform; stigma minute, 

 capitate. Pod strap-shaped, torulose. falcate, the coriaceous valves 

 much twisted after tbey separate. Seeds small, bright -coloured. — 

 Species 4, inhabiting the tropics of the Old World. 



A. pavonina, Linn. 8p. PI. 384 ; Boxh. Fl. Ind. ii, 370.; W. ^ A. Prod. 

 271 ; Boyle III. 185 ; Brand. For. Fl. 168 ; F. B. I. ii, 287 ; Watt E.D. 



An unarmed tree with rough dark-coloured bark. Leaves "i-^ ft, long; 

 •petiole 2-i in. ; pinncB opposite, 4-6 pairs, 4-12 in. long; leaflets alternate, 

 4-8 pairs, |-1^ in. long, oval or oblong, dark-green above,"glaucous beneath, 

 glabrous on both surfaces. Bacemes spike-like, short-peduncled, 2-6 in. 

 long, terminal and from the axils of the upper leaves ; hracts minute, 

 caducous. Calyx-lobes very small. Corolla pale-yellow, with narrow- 

 lanceolate equal petals. Pod 6-9 in., ligulate, falcate, contorted when 

 ripe. Seeds 10-12, lenticular, usually bright scarlet, smooth and shining. 



Forests of Gorakhpur (Duthie's collector). Distbib. Sikkim Himalayas 

 up to 4,i 00 ft., Bengal, Burma, S. India, Ceylon, Malay Penins. and 

 Islands ; also in China and the Philippines. Flowers March- May. 

 The red close-grained heartwood is valued in S. India for cabinet- 

 making. Pounded into a paste by rubbing on a moist stone, it is used 

 by Brahmins for colouring the forehead. This tree must not, however, 



l2 



