DOLICHOS LABLAB, Linn. 



IVide Plates XXXIVa and XXXIVb.] 



English, none ; Veknaculab, sem, sembi; Sanscrit shimbee.t 



Description. 



Origin. 



Varieties. 



Method of cultivation. 



Natural order Leguminosoo, division Papilionacew, tribe Phaseoleoe. A twining perennial herb 

 ■with stipellate trifoliate leaves, young parts downy. Stems pale-coloured, usually scabrid. Stipules 

 small, cordate, lanceolate, reflexed, sub-persistent ; petioles 1^-2 in. long, swollen at the base, chan- 

 nelled above ; stipels minute ; stalks of the leaflets swollen, downy, dark green ; leaflets broadly 

 ovate, or the two lower ones obliquely rhomboid, 2-3 in. long, entire, acuminate. Racemes erect, 

 often leafy, composed of alternate fascicles of white or purplish flower ; bracteoles sub-persistent, 

 oblong, rather shorter than the calyx. Calyx tube campanulate ; teeth short, triangular. Petals 

 about equal in length ; standard with two prominent parallel ridges. Stamens diadelphous. Style 

 filiform, bent. Pods straight or scimitar-shaped, white green or purple, 3-5-seeded, tipped with the 

 hardened base of the style ; margins rugose. Seeds black with the hilum white, or marbled. 



The sem is a native of India, and, in the opinion of M. Decandolle, it must have 

 been under cultivation in this country for a period not less than 3,000 years. Its in- 

 troduction into China, W. Asia, and Egypt, appears to have taken place at a much later 

 date. 



There are several varieties of this climbing bean, one of the more distinct being 

 that named D. purpureus, a separate figure of which is given in Plate XXXIVb. Rox- 

 burgh (I.e.) describes no less than eleven cultivated varieties, and two wild ones. Their 

 chief distinguishing characters have reference to the colour of the flowers, the shape 

 and colour of the pods, and the colour of the seeds. 



In these Provinces sem is commonly grown along the borders of tall crops, and al- 

 lowed to twine itself round the plants standing on the margin. The castor oil plant 

 is a favourite support. It is also occasionally grown in little patches round houses, and 

 allowed to trail over the walls and roof. It is never grown as a field crop by itself, since 

 it would require an artificial support which would add too much to the cost. 



It is used as a vegetable, its long pods, picked in unripe condition, forming a favour- 

 ite addition to the daily mess of green food. It is seldom if ever grown for its grain. 



Explanation of Plate XXXIVa. 



1. Upper part of plant, 



2. Flower with some of the petals removed 



j nat, size. 



3. Pod, 



4. Ditto with one valve removed. 

 Explanation of Plate XXXIVb. 



.} 



nat. size. 



1. Flower with some of the petals removed, 



2. Pistil and portion of staminal tube, ) nat. size. 



3. Pod, 



d. Inflorescence, 

 5. Cluster of pods, 



■ nat. size. 



Both of the above were drawn from living specimens gathered at Saharanpur. 



• References :— Roxb. Fl. Ind. iii. 305 ; Hook Fl. Drit. Ind. ii. 209 ; Baden-Powell Punj. Prod. 242 ; Gaz. N.-W. P. 

 Vol. X. 696 ; DC. L'Orig. PI. Cult. 277. D. lignosus, Roxb. l.c, 307 ; Lahtah vulgaris, Savi ; W, & A. Prod. 250 ; Drnry 

 Useful PI. of India 273. 



t Piddington Index 31, 



