OR'OBUS PROSTRA'TUS. 
PROSTRATE BITTER VETCH. 
Class. 
DIADELPUIA. 
Order 
DECANDRIA. 
Salural Order. 
legcminosa:. 
Native of 
Height, 
Flowers in 
Duration. 
Cultivated 
Europe. 
18 inches 
May, June. 
Perennial. 
in 1830. 
No. 983. 
The words oiio, bous, signifying to e.vcite, an 
ox ; or, more properly, to fatten. 
The family of plants to which Orobus belongs, 
are chiefly papilionaceous ; that is, producing pea- 
like blossoms. To many of those cultivated in our 
own country we are indebted for articles of food, 
both for ourselves and for domestic animals. We 
are also, largely indebted to this order of plants 
for articles imported from foreign countries. 
Amongst these we may mention Liquorice, which 
is chiefly brought from the South of Eurojie, and is 
the inspissated juice of the root of Glycyrrhiza gla- 
bra ; Gum Arabic, Gum dragon, and Gum lac, 
are the production of leguminous plants. Indigo 
is the produce of several siiecies of Tndigofera ; 
Senna of Acacia trees. Terra .Taponica or Catechu 
is also the jnoduce of a species of Acacia. Many 
produce medicinal articles, used by the natives 
where they grow ; others Dye-wood, Juniper, &c. 
This is a pretty prostrate plant, nearly allied to 
Orobus sylvaticus, but has round striated stems 
and other slight differences. It may be increased 
by division of its roots, or from seeds. 
