THE BEAN AND MIMOSA FAMILY. 417 



also vary very considerably, being regular or irregular ; a 

 great number are papilionaceous, that is, having a butterfly- 

 like appearance, as in the common pea. The variations of 

 the form and structure of the flower furnish sufficient cha- 

 racter for dividing this vast family into three sub-families. 

 1st. Papilionaceoe^ Butterfly flowers ; 2nd. Cwsalpiniece, Ir- 

 regular (not papilionaceous) flowers; ord. Mimoseoe^ Flowers 

 with equal small scale-like petals, and long exserted stamens. 

 The first of these contain all the wholesome pulse and fodder 

 plants. About 72 species are described as being natives of 

 Britain. 



Pea (Pisvm sativum). The Garden Pea is supposed to be 

 a native of the South of Europe, at least so far as regards 

 the grey or field pea, from which it is believed that all the 

 varieties of white, blue, marrowfat, and sugar peas have 

 originated. Their uses are well know^n : split peas are the 

 cotyledons of the white peas, divested of their skins. In 

 Scotland, grey peas are ground into meal, of which bannocks 

 are made, forming very nutritious food. 



Bean {Faba vulgaris). Like the Pea this is of ancient 

 cultivation, " beans, lentiles, and parched pulse," being part 

 of the provisions furnished to King David, as recorded in 

 the 2nd Book of Samuel. It is supposed to have been first 

 introduced into this country by the Romans. Like the pea, 

 there are several varieties, such as field and broad Windsor 

 Bean. 



Scarlet Runner Bean (Phaseohis multiflorus). This is 

 believed to be a native of Mexico, and was introduced into 

 this country more than two hundred years ago. It is well 

 known in every garden, being cultivated for its pods, which 

 are used when young as a vegetable. Naturally it is a 

 tuberous perennial, but it is too tender to stand the winters 

 of this climate. The beans, when ripe, are unwholesome, 

 and even in some degree poisonous. 



Kidney or French Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris). This is pro- 

 bably a native of Western Asia ; it appears to have been 

 cultivated in this country about the end of the sixteenth 



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