404 
The Ohio Naturalist. 
[Vol. XV, No. 2, 
6. Strophostyles Ell. 
Twining pubescent annuals, or perennials in pedunculate 
heads or sessile, purple; the keel of the corolla strongly incurved; 
style bearded along the inner side, the pods linear and straight. 
1. Strophostyles helvola (L.) Britt. Trailing Wild Bean. A 
twining pubescent annual with the stem 2-8 ft. long and % 6 in. in 
diameter. Leaflets lobed or regular, ovate at the base, acute 
at the apex, 1-3 in. long, 1-2 in. wide. Peduncles longer than the 
leaves, axillary; flowers 3-10, capitate, %-% in. long, purple; pod 
pubescent, the seed brown to black. 
The range of territory from which this species is reported shows 
the distribution general over the state. Erie, Ottawa, Cuyahoga, 
Tuscarawas, Washington, Athens, Meigs, Hocking and Scioto. 
7. Vigna Savi. 
Twining or erect annuals. Leaves trifoliate. Flowers capi¬ 
tate or somewhat racemose, the keel of the corolla short, slightly 
incurved, yellow or white to purple; pods long, linear, the seeds 
small, light or dark, usually with a different coloring about the 
hilum. 
Key to the Species. 
1. Stem erect or slightly twining, 2-4 ft. long, pod 6-9 in. long. 
Vigna sinensis. (1). 
2. Stem twining, 5-10 ft. long, pod 10-36 in. long. Vigna sesquipedalis. (2). 
1. Vigna sinensis (L) Endl. China Bean. A twining or 
erect herbaceous annual, 2-4 ft. high, Yk-% in. in diameter. Leaf¬ 
lets 2-6 in. long, 1-3 in. wide, the stipules ovate or ovate lanceolate. 
Flowers %-% in. long, capitate or racemose, white or yellow to 
purple; pods 6-9 in. long, the seeds white to brown, having a 
contrasting ring of color around the hilum; seeds 4-20, separated 
in the pod by a coriaceous tissue. 
The China Bean is being cultivated in Ohio for pasturage and 
as a soiling crop. It is also used for the food of man in the green 
and dry state. The China Bean has recently been called Cow 
Pea quite generally, especially in Agricultural Literature. But 
this name is confusing, since the plant is a typical species of the 
beans and is not at all like any of the peas. 
2. Vigna sesquipedalis (L) Wight. Yard Bean. A climbing 
annual 5-10 ft. long, Yie-Y in. in diameter. Leaflets 2-6 in. long, 
1-3 in. wide. Flowers %-l in. long, yellow or white to purple; 
pod 10-36 in. long, % in. wide; seeds 10-20, light brown. 
The Yard Bean is often cultivated for an ornament or curiosity, 
on account of its long pods. It is now generally used for food, 
when in the snap stage. It is also called Asparagus Bean. 
Date of Publication, December 18, 1914. 
