177 



LATHYRUS PURPUREO-C/ERULEUS. 



(Purplish-blue Lathyrus.') 

 LINNEAN SYSTEM. NATURAL ORDER. 



DIADELPHIA DECANDRIA. LEGUMINOS^E. 



GENERIC CHARACTER. 



Lathyrus (Lin.) Calyx campanulatus 5-fidus. Lobis 2 superioribus brevioribus. Corolla 

 papilionacea. Stamina diadelpha. Stylus complanatus, apice dilatatus, antice villosus aut pubes- 

 cens. Legumen oblongum polyspermum, bivalve, 1-loculum. Seniina globosa aut angulata. 

 Herbce ssepius scandentes. Stipulce semi-sagittatse. Petioli apice in cirrbum ramosum abeuntes. 

 Foliola 1-3 juga. Pedunculi axillares. — Becand. Prod. vol. ii. p. 369. 



Calyx campanulate, divided into five parts, having the two upper ones shorter than the 

 others. Corolla papilionaceous. Stamens in two sets (one and nine). Style flattened, dilated 

 at the apex, on the upper part villous or downy. Pod oblong, many-seeded, two-valved, 

 one-celled. Seeds round, or angular. Herbaceous plants more often climbers. Stipulce half 

 aiTow-shaped. Petioles passing into a branched tendril at the apex. Leaflets 1-3 pairs. 

 Peduncles axillary. 



SPECIFIC CHARACTER. 



L. purpureo-cseruleus : suffruticosus ; caule angulato ; foliis longe petiolatis unijugis foliolis 

 lanceolatis subpubescentibus mucronatis ; cirrhis solitariis ; stipulis minutis : floribus 6-8 race- 

 mosis foliis longioribus purpureo-cseruleis. 



Suffruticose ; stem angular ; leaves longly petiolate, one pair ; leaflets lanceolate, somewhat 

 pubescent, mucronate ; tendril solitary ; stipules minute ; flowers from six to eight, racemose, 

 longer than the leaves, purplish blue. 



Lathyrus purpureus. — Flor. Cab. p. 12G. 



Descr. — Stem climbing, suffruticose, the new shoots angular. Leaves one pair ; leaflets 

 lanceolate, slightly pubescent, veined, mucronate ; petioles nearly the length of the leaflets ; 

 tendril unbranched, solitary. Stipules minute, half arrow-shaped. Flowers racemose, purplish 

 blue. Standard notched, wings ovate, obtuse, keel obtuse. Calyx pubescent, divisions five, 

 awl-shaped, each having a green rib, the two upper ones minute, the three lower ones four times 

 the length of the upper ones. Peduncles longer than the leaves, smooth. Pedicels about three 

 lines long, pubescent. Stamens 9-1. Style bent at right angles with the legume, somewhat 

 spathulate, pubescent at the back. Legume covered with soft silky hairs. Seeds . 



This pretty species of Lathyrus we published a description of at page 126 of 

 the Floral Cabinet. It is suffruticose, and, to all appearance, perfectly hardy, 

 having stood the severity of last winter without the slightest injury. It appears 



VOL. II. NO. XXIV. FEBEUAKY, 1839. A A 



