402 
The Ohio Naturalist. 
[Vol. XV, No. 2, 
4. Falcata Gmel. 
Slender, glabrous or pubescent twining perennials. Leaves 
trifoliate. Flowers axillary racemose, white to purple, the 
style glabrous; pods linear oblong or obovoid, many to one seeded. 
Key to the Species. 
1. Glabrate or somewhat pubescent, the bracts small. Falcata comosa. (1). 
1. Villous-brown pubescence, the bracts prominent. Falcata pitched. (2). 
1. Falcata comosa (L) Ktz. Hog-Peanut. A slender, twin¬ 
ing, glabrous or slightly pubescent perennial, the stem % ft. long, 
and less than %6 in. in diameter. Leaflets thin, acute at the 
apex, rounded at the base, 2% in. long, 1% in. wide, the bracts 
small. Flowers }*!-% in. long, purple to white; pod 1 in. long, 
% in. broad, the seeds 3-6, dark brown. 
This plant is found in moist thickets. General. It is also 
called Pea Vine. 
2. Falcata pitched (T. & G.) Ktz. Pitcher’s Hog-peanut. 
Similar to the preceding, but generally stouter and villous- 
pubescent thruout, with reflexed brown hairs; leaflets larger and 
thicker; subterranean fruit less abundantly produced. In moist 
thickets; rather general in the State. 
5. Phaseolus (Toum.) L. Bean. 
Twining or erect annuals, or perennials, leaves trifoliate. 
Flowers racemose axillary, white to purple, the style bearded 
along the inner side, the keel of the corolla spirally coiled; pod 
linear with a persistent style; the seed generally rounded at the 
ends. 
Beans are almost universally cultivated for food of man. The 
dry and the green seed, as well as the green pods are used. 
Key to the Species. 
1. Flowers in racemes longer than the leaves. 2. 
1. Flowers in racemes shorter than the leaves. 3. 
2. Flowers small, 1-3 in. long, purple; native. Phaseolus polystachyus. (1). 
2. Flowers large, Yi to 1 in. long, bright scarlet to white; cultivated. 
Phaseolus coccineus. (5). 
3. Flowers greenish, white, pods, broad, seeds flat. Phaseolus lunatus. (4). 
3. Flowers white to purple, pods linear, straight, seed usually oval. 4. 
4. Stem erect. Phaseolus nanus. (3). 
4. Stem twining, Phaseolus vulgaris. (2). 
1. Phaseolus polystachyus (L) B. S. P. Wild Bean. A 
trailing or climbing perennial with the stem 4-15 ft. long and 
/u j in. in diameter. Leaflets broadly ovate, 2 in. long, 1 % in. 
wide, the stipules lanceolate. Flowers loosely racemose upon 
peduncles, longer than the leaves, the pedicels with minute 
bracts, each flower in. in length, purple; pods curved, droop¬ 
ing, stalked flat 134—234 in. long; the seeds chocolate-brown. 
