106 
25. LEGTJMINOSJE. 
178; Spr. iii. 290; Moris Sard. i. 450; WB, ii. 64; Koch 180. — 
Herb. ann. Mad., reg. 1-3, PS. reg. 1-4, ccc. March- June. 
a. lonyispina ; pods thickly spinose, spines spreading long 
slender hooked at the tip, not pungent, about equalling or ex- 
ceeding the diam. of pod ; stip. sometimes sparingly toothed. — 
M. minima (3. longispina and y. uni flora Benth. in EBS. at t. 2635. 
M. minima a. pubescens and (3. hirsuta WB. ii. 65. M. minima 
[3. canescens and y. lonyiseta, M. mollissima (Both) and M. Grceca 
(Hornem.) 13G. 1. c. ; M. recta (Desf.) DC. ii. 179. M. mollissima 
Spr. Syst. iii. 291. M. minima (3. mollissima Koch l. c. M.poly- 
morpha H. Recta Pesf. ii. 212. M. polymorpha minima FI. Pan. 
t. 2 LI. Mad. and PS., ccc, in waste rocky ground and mountain 
pastures everywhere, especially below 1500 ft. and near the sea ; 
to the E. and W. of Funchal, Loo fields, Praia Formosa, Brazen 
Head, P ta de S. Louren^o, the Piedade, &c. ; SP. at top, rrr. Pods 
(with spines ) 3-3^ lines in diam., spines about one line long. 
/3. brevispina ; pods thickly spinose, spines spreading or sub- 
reflexed short not above \ diam. of pod, strong pungent, not 
hooked ; stip. mostly entire. — M. minima a. brevispina Benth. 
EBS. t. 2635. M. minima Brot. ii. 115; Sm. E. FI. iii. 321 ; Bab. 
74. Not noticed in Mad., but in PS. c, though far less so than 
a ; cliffs to the E. of town, roadside at Camacha, Pico d’Anna 
Ferreira, P. do Castello, and ascent of P. Branco mixed with a. 
Pods (with spines ) 2| lines in diam., spines about half aline long. 
y. pulchella ; pods unarmed, spines undeveloped and almost 
or quite reduced to their forked base, very short and strongly 
reflexed, not reaching beyond the edge or margin of the 3-4 
volutions. — M. pulchella Lowe Novit. 25 or 547. — Herb. ann. 
Mad. reg. 1, rrr; PS. reg. 2, 3, r. Brazen Head outside the 
hummock (intermixed with a.) plentifully, and sparingly half- 
way between F unclial and the same along the edge of the sea- 
cliffs : PS. hill-sides about 2 miles E. of the town; April, May. 
In nil these varied forms, or modifications, M. minima is 
distinguished by its comparatively diminutive size, excessive 
hairiness, and the smallness of all its parts from the preceding 
sp., except M. Helix W. Whole pi. usually densely and softly 
pubescent or villose and more or less silky and of a dull hoary 
gr. St. 4 or 5 to 10 or 12 in. long, hard and stiff’ or woody. 
Lfts. small refuse, with a point or mucro in the notch, and a 
larger prominent tooth on eacli side of it. Ped. in starved ex. 
1-, in others 2-3- or 4-fl. FI. very small lemon-y. Standard 
longer than the keel which is longer than the wings. Pods 
small l£-2 lines in diam. without the spines, globose. From 
their never bursting, and the consequent germination of the seed 
