244 XLV. LEaUMINOS^ [Sopliora 



23. SOPH OR A, Linn. ; Fl. Brit. Ind. ii. 248. 



Trees or slirubs with imparipinaate leaves, leaflets often alternate. Calyx 

 oblique, stamens free or filaments connate at base, anthers versatile. Ovary 

 shortly stipitate, ovules oo, stigma terminal, minute. Pod moniliform, inde- 

 hiscent or tardily dehiscent. Species 25, tropical and sub-tropical regions. 



A. Pod without wings or ridges. 



1. S. tomentosa, Linn.; M. Brit. Ind. ii. 249. Vern. Thlnhaic-magyi^ 

 Biirm. 



An evergreen shrub or small tree, branches, leaves and inflorescence shortly 

 grey-tomentose. Leaflets 11-17, thick, obliquely elliptic, obtuse. M. sulphur- 

 yellow, in terminal racemes, calyx nearly truncate, teeth minute. Pod 4-6 in. 

 long, hoary, 6-10-seeded, the seed-bearing joints often separated by long seed- 

 less stalks. 



Sea coast of Burma, the Andamans, Oeylon. Fl. B. S. A littoral species, co&mopolitan 

 within the tropics. 



2. S. glauca, Leschen. ; Wight Ic. t. 979 ; Spicil. Neilgh. t. 51. 



A handsome shrub, branches, leaves and inflorescence clothed with per- 

 sistent grey or brown tomentum. Leaflets 21-25, acute, 1-2 in. long. PL 

 purple, in dense terminal racemes, calyx longer than pedicels, teeth triangular. 

 Pod velvety, 5-6-seeded, 3-4 in. long. 



Common on the Nilgiris above 6,000 ft., and on other hills of the Penin&ula. Fl. 

 thronghout the year. ^S^. madrai>]patana^ described by Becldome (Manual, p. 89), from 

 the north Arcot and Cuddapali hills, is doubtful, '• leaflets 25, \~% in. long, obtuse, 

 mucronate or retuse," would agree with 8. i77terriq)ta^ while the " villous pod " would 

 point to S. glauca. Wight Ic. t. 1054, C[uoted by Beddome, repre=;ents the fl.. of ^S^. glauca 

 and the pod of 8. interrnpta. 



Other shrubs of this section are: S. S. WigMii, Baker. — Syn. 8. hepfaphijUa, Wight 

 I^. 1. 1155. Belgaum, Mysore. Leaflets alternate, 11-15, lanceolate, 2-3 in, long, racemes 

 longer than leaf, pedicels longer than calyx, corolla wdiite or yellow, seeds red. A 

 Ceylon species, ;S'. zeylmiica, Trimen Handb. Ceyl. ii, 96, t. 30 {8. heptapliuUa^ FL Brit. 

 Ind. ii. 250), has smaller fl., but may prove to be the same. 



4 S. acuminata, Benth. Nepal, Assam, Khasi hills, Burma. Leaflets nearly opposite 

 15-19, lanceolate, 3-4 in. long, racemes shorter than leaf, pedicels shorter than calyx. 

 5. S. Bakeri, Clarke ; Prain in Journ. As. Soc. Beng., vol. 66 (1898), 466, Pai'asnath, Man- 

 bhum, pubescent, leaflets 11-15, tomentose beneath, corolla dark red, pod silky. 6. 

 S. Moorcroffciana, Benth., a low much-branched thorny shrub of the inner arid North- 

 West Himalaya. Branchlets and stipules spinescent, leaflets pale green, finely grey 

 silky, J-J in. long. Two shrubs from Upper Burma : 7. S. Dunii, Prain ; and 8. 

 S. Prazeri, Prain, I.e., p. 4:^0^. 



B. Pod with 4 wings or with 4 distinct raised lines or ridges. 



9. S. mollis, G-raham. — Syn. Edicardsia mollis^ Eoyle 111. t. 32. 



Leaflets 20-30, alternate or opposite, elliptic, ^-l in. long. PL bright 

 yellow in axillary racemes, generally appearing before or with the leaves. 

 Pod glabrous, 3-4 in. long, 5-6-seeded, the joints with 4 criistaceous undu- 

 lated wings. 



Trans-Indus. Salt range. N.-W. Himalaya as far as Kumann, ascending to 6,000 

 ft. PI. March, April. 



Other shrubs of this section are: 10. S. interrnpta, Bedd. Ic. PL Ind. Or. t. 165. 

 Pachmarhi, Central ProY., hills of the Deccan. Leaflets 18-28, |-li in. long, obtuse or 

 emarginate. Pod neaiiy glabrous, ^ith 4 membranous wings. 11. S. GriffitMi, Stocks. 

 Beluchistan, Quetta valley, and Juniper tracts of Ziarat, 7,000-10,000 ft, Afghanistan, 

 Persia. Often gregarious, the large bright yellow flowers appearing shortly before or 

 with the leaves; branches, leaves, and inflorescence clothed with soft silvery grey 

 velvet. Leaflets 20-24, J-f in. long. Pods silky, the joints with 4 narrow crenated 

 ridges. 



Calpurnia aurea, Baker. — Syn. Vir^lUa aurea, Lam. ; "Wight 111. t, 81 (78), is a large 

 shrub. Nilgiris, hills of Salem and Tinnevelli. Leaves imparipinnate, leaflets mem- 

 branous, nearly opposite, 6-10 pair. PL large, yellow. Pod flat, membranous, indehiscent, 

 3-4 in. long, 5-6-seeded. 



