Orobus tuberosus. 
W q o d Pea. 
OROBUS Lintuei Gen. PI. Diadelphia Decandria. 
Raii Synop, Gen. 23. Herb.® flore papilionaceo, seu leguminos®. 
OROBUS tultrnfus foliis pinnatis, lanceolatis ; ffipnlis femifagittatis integerrimis, caule fimpHci. tin. Sjfi. 
Vegetab. p. 55®’ Sutcic. n. 642« 
OROBUS caule Amplici ; follis fenis ellipticis; radice tuberofa. Haller, hijl. n. 417. 
ASTRAGALUS fylvaticus, foliis oblongis glabris. Bauhm. pm. 351. Gerard, einac. 1237. 
LATHYRUS fylveftris lignofior. .Parkinfin, i o 7 n. Rnii Symp. p. 32. 4 - Wood Peafe, or Heath-Peafe. HuJ- 
fin, FI. Angi. p. 274- SmptB. FI- Carn- n. 883. 
RADIX perennis, tuberofa. 
CAULIS fimnlex, ereftus, pedalis, alatus, fubtortuofus. 
FOLIA pinnata, Cirrho brevi reflo terminata, Pin- 
narum paria duo, tria, elliptica, mucronata, 
glabra fubtus casrulefcentia. 
STIPULA femifagittatze, faspe integrae, Aepius vero ad 
balin hamatae, dente unico aut pluribus. 
RAMI florigeri, i, 2, 3, aut plures ex foliorum alis, pri- 
mum nutantes, Flores pulchelli, ex rubro 
purpurei, demum caerulefcentes. 
CALYX Perianthium monophyllum, tubulatum, 
purpureum, bafi obtufum ; ore quinquedentato, 
denticulis tribus inferioribus acutioribus, duobus 
fuperioribus brevioribus, obtufe divifis, fubaf- 
furgentibus, Jig. 1. 
COROLLA Papilionacea: Vexillum obcordatum, re- 
flexum,/^-. 2. Al® conniventes, Carina con- 
nexa. Unguis linearis, jig. 5. Lamina obtula. 
Carina ,fg. 7, acuminata, aflurgens, margi- 
nibus cavis ad Alas recipiendas,/#, 9. 
STAMINA : Filamenta diadelphia (fimplex et novem 
fidum) adfcendentia, jig. 11, 17. Anther® 
flavae, Jig. 12. ad bafm filamenti fimplicis et 
fuperioris, foramina duo obfervantur,/#. 16. 
PISTILLUM: Germen cylindraceum, compreflum, 
Stylus filiformis, ereftus, lateri interiori prope 
apicem villofus, jig. 13. 
PERICARPIUM Legumen teres, longum, primum ru- 
brum, demum nigrum, jig. 1 4. 
SEMINA plura, fubrotunda, e luteo-fufca, jig. 15. 
’ ROOT perennial and tuberous. 
i STALK Ample, upright, about a foot high, winged and 
fomewhat twilled. 
: LEAVES pinnated, terminated by a fhortflraitCiRRHus 
confifting of two or three pair of Pinnae which 
are elliptical, and end in a fmall fharp point , 
fmooth and underneath blueifh. 
’ STIPULiE femifagittate, frequently entire but more 
often jagged at bottom, with one or feveral 
teeth. 
; BRANCHES which fuflain the flowers 1, 2, 3, or 
; more, fpringing from the bofom of the leaves, 
atfirft drooping- the Flowers beautiful, of a 
reddifh purple colour, becoming blue as they 
•: go off. 
;! CALYX: a Perianthium of one leaf, tubular, pur- 
: ; pie, blunt at bottom, the mouth quinquedentate, 
■: the three lowermofl teeth fharpeft, the two 
uppermoft fhdrteft, bluntly divided, and turned 
; : a little upwards, jig 1 . 
COROLLA Papilionaceous : the Vexillum heart-fhaped, 
turning back, jig. 2. the Wings connivent 
; ; and connected with the Carina, the Claw linear, 
jig. 5. the Lamina obtufe, jig. 6. the Carina 
■ ; or Keel acuminate, riling upward, the edges 
hollow for the reception of the Alae or Wings, 
fig- 9 - 
. : STAMINA: ten Filaments, nine united into one. 
body below, and one feparate at top ,jig. 11, 
;; 17. rifing upward. Anther® yellow,/#. 12. 
• : at the bafe of the Ample and uppermoft filament 
;; two fmall holes are confpicuous, fig. 1 6. 
PISTILLUM: Germen cylindrical, and flattifh, Style 
thread-fhaped, interiorly near the tip villous, 
fig- ‘ 3 - 
; ; SEED-VESSEL, a Legumen round, and long, flrft red, 
$ when ripe black, jg. 14. 
t SEEDS feveral, roundifh, of a yellowilh brown colour, 
* fig- 1 5- 
This elegant fpecies of Orobus grows very plentifully in all our Woods about Town ; it feems to delight in a 
ftrong clayey foil. It produces its blofloms in May and June and the feed is ripe in July. The root is large and 
tuberous, deeply Atuated in the Earth and taken up with difficulty ; it is not made any particular ufe of with us, 
but is co’nfiderably efteemed in fome parts of Great Britain: 
Mv very worthy and ingenious Friend the Rev. Mr. Lightfoot , of Uxbridge , has favoured me with the following 
account of its ufes, which he obferved in his late tour through Scotland : 
“ The Orobus tuberofus is very common in Scotland , both in the Lowlands, Highlands , and the Hebrides. It is called 
« j n t h e E r f e Language Cor-meille. The Highlanders dig up the Roots and dry them in their pockets, and chew 
<c them like Tobacco or Liquorice Root, to relifh their Liquor, and to repel Hunger and Thirft. In Breadalbane 
“ and Rofs-jhire they fometimes fteep them in Water, and make an agreeable fermented Liquor with them, whia 
<C t h ev eiteem to be good for Diforders of the Thorax. It has a fweetifh Tafte fomewhat like Liquorice Roots. Fond 
“ as the Highlanders were of this Root they frequently ufed to change it with me for fome Pig-tail Tobacco, their 
“ favourite Indulgence.” 
