2 



DOLICHOS BIFLORUS. 



DOLICHOS BIFLORUS, Linn.* 



[ Vide Plate LXXXI.] 



Madras gram, horse gram; khulti, khulat (Hind.) ; gahat (Kumaun). 



Natural order Leguminosce. A downy annual with suberect stems, climbing branches, trifolio- 

 late leaves, oblong pointed leaflets, and yellow flowers. Pods 1^-2 inches, recurved, rather flat, 

 and falcate, 5-6 seeded. Seeds compressed, kidney-shaped, and of a grey colour. 



In these Provinces it is grown mostly as a rainy season hill crop up to 7,000 feet. 

 It also occurs in some of the districts near the hills. The beans are eaten chiefly by 

 the poorer classes. It is largely grown in the Punjab, where it is known under a 

 great variety of names. In Central and Southern India it is much more extensively 

 grown. In the Madras Presidency the seed forms the principal article of diet for 

 horses. It is there cultivated as a cold weather crop, and harvested in February. 

 Eoxburgh says that in a dry light rich soil it produces 60 fold. A variety with black 

 seeds is also sown. Mr. C. Benson, in his report on the Saidapet Farm, mentions that 

 the crop requires a good deal of lime for maturing seed, otherwise the plant will run to 

 leaf. This tendency has been utilized by means of deep ploughing and manure in the 

 production of good fodder at a moderate cost ; and when cut before maturing seed its 

 cultivation is found to improve rather than impoverish the soil. 



This/plant, wherever grown, is highly valued as a fodder for cattle, and in some 

 parts of the Punjab it is sown in the spring solely for fodder. 



Professor Church says that the ash of the beans contains nearly one-third of its 

 weight of phosphoric acid, and that the long continued use of these beans is regarded 

 as injurious. 



This plant must not be confounded with guar ( Cj/amqpsis psoralioidesj, which is 

 also called khulti in the Muttra District. 



Explanation of Plate LXXXI. 



1. Standard. 



2. Wing. 



3. Keel, portion of. 



4. Stamens and pistil. 



5. Pod, with portion of one valve removed. 



* References :— Fl. Br. Ind., II., 210 ; Roxb. Fl. Ind. (Clarke's Ed.), 563 ; Atkinson, Him. Dist., COG ; Watt, Diet. 

 Kconom. Prod., III., 133 ; Church, Food Grains of India, 102. I), uniflorut, DC. ; Koyle, 111. Him. Bot, 103 ; Stewart, l'lmj. 

 PL, 08 ; W. and A. Prodr.,248. 



