I 
Vicia Cracca. 
Tufted Vetch. 
VICIA Lin. Gen. PL Diadelphia Decandria. 
Stigma latere inferiore tranfverfe barbatum. 
Rail Syn. Gen. 23. Herbje flore papilionaceo seu leguminosje. 
VICIA Cracca pedunculis multifloris, floribus imbricatis, foliolis lanceolatis pubefcentibus, flipulis 
integris. Lin. Syfi. Vegetab. p. 553. Sp.Pl. p. 1035. FI. Suec. n. 652. 
VICIA foliis lanceolatis fericeis, racemis multifloris reflexis, flipulis integerrimis. Haller. Hifi. n. 424. 
VICIA Cracca. Scopoli FI. Cani. n. 899. 
VICIA multiflora. Bauh. Pin. 345. 
VICIA multiflora leu fpicata. Park. 1072. 
CRACCA. Riv. fietr. 49. Rati Syn. p. 322. Tufted Vetches. Hudfon. FI. Angi. p. 317. Lightfoot 
FI. Scot. p. 394. 
RADIX perennis, repens. ; 
CAULIS bipedalis, tripedalis et ultra, pro ratione loci, j 
fcandens, angulofo-fulcatus, pubefcens, fra- • 
gilis, frangendo crepitans, ramofus. < 
STIPULAE binae, femifagittatae, integrae aut dentatae. ; 
FOLIA pinnata, pinnarum 8 feu 12 parium, raro ultra, ; 
oblongo-lanceolata, mucronata, utrinque feri- ; 
cea pube albida, pinnis oppolitis alternifve, ] 
cirrho tripartito terminata. 
FLORES racemofi. 
RACEMI alterni, multiflori, primo fubere&i, apice in- : 
curvi, poftea reflexi, flofculis 10 ad 40, vio-, 
laceis, confertis, breviffime pedicellatis. 
CALYX: Perianthium monophyllum, tubulatum, 
coloratum, quinquedentatum, dentibus tribus 
inferioribus longioribus, pilofis, medio pro- 
ductiore, duobus fuperioribus minimis, Jlg. 2. 
COROLLA: Vexillum emarginatum, reflexum, vio 
laceum, venis fatu ratioribus obfolete ftriatitm. 
AljE couniventes. Carina albida, ad apicem 
macula faturate violacea, utrinque notatum, 
fig- '• 
STAMINA: Filamenta io, fi mplex et novem fidum, : 
alba. Antheraj parva, lutea. 
GERMEN oblongum, compreflum, glabrum. Stylus 
fubereCtus, undique pilofus. Stigma obtu- 
fum, fig. 3. 
PERICARPIUM : Legumen femunciale, pallide fuf- 
cura, glabrum, utrinque compreflum, fig. 4. 
SEMINA quatuor vel quinque in fingulo legumine fub- 
rotunda, nigricantia, fig. 5. 
ROOT perennial and creeping. 
STALK, two, three feet or more in height, according to 
its place of growth, climbing, angular, grooved, 
downy, brittle, fnapping when broken, 
branched. 
STIPULtE growing in pairs, each refembling half an 
arrow, entire, or toothed. 
LEAVES pinnated, compofed of 8 or 12 pair, feldom 
more, oblong, lanceolate* terminated by a 
point, covered on each fide with a kind of 
white filky down, the pinnas oppofite or alter- 
nate, terminated by a tripartite cirrhus. 
FLOWERS growing in bunches or racemi. 
RACEMI alternate, many-flowered, at firft nearly up- 
right, with the tip bent in, aftewards reflexed, 
flowers from 10 to 40, of a violet colour, 
crouded together, and ftanding on very Ihort 
foot-ftalks. 
CALYX : a Perianthium of one leaf, tubular, co- 
loured, having five teeth, the three lowermoft 
longer than the upper ones, the middle one 
fartheft extended, the two upper ones very 
minute, fig. 2. 
COROLLA : Standard emarginate, reflexed, of a 
violet colour, faintly ftriped with veins of a 
deeper colour. Wings doling. Keel whitiih, 
marked on each fide at the tip with a deeply 
violet-coloured (pot, fig. 1. 
STAMINA: ten Filaments, nine united, one (ingle, 
white. Anthers fmall and yellow. 
GERMEN oblong, comprefled, (mooth. Style nearly 
upright, hairy all round. Stigma blunt, 
fig- 3- 
SEED-VESSEL: a Pod about half an inch long, of a 
pale brown colour, flattened on each fide,./g\ 4. 
SEEDS four or five in each pod, nearly round and 
blackifh, fig. 5. 
Linnaeus, Haller, and Scopoli, afcribe to this plant Jlipula integra. Indeed the two former found a part of 
their fpecific character on this very circumftance ; but this character is certainly a very fallacious one, as the plant 
is frequently found with us having fiipula dentata , and fuch is the fpecimen we have figured. It has, however 
other chara&ers by which it is obvioufly diftinguifhed. The raoft ftriking are drawn from the leaves and flowers: 
the former are covered with a fine kind of filky down, which gives them a manifeft whitenefs. This is moft 
apparent in fuch fpecimens as grow in dry, expofed fituations. The flowers are of a rich deep purple colour, grow 
in long bunches or racemi, thickly crouded together, and are confpicuous at a diftance. 
It is a very common plant in the neighbourhood of London, and no where more plentiful than in Baterfea 
Meadows. When it has an opportunity of climbing up a hedge, it will grow to the height of five or fix feet ; and 
it is then that its bloffoms are displayed to advantage. In the open paftures and fields, it is found much more 
dwarfifh. 
It flowers from July to September. 
Gentlemen who wifh to decorate the hedges of their plantations cannot felett a more proper plant, as it is not 
apt, like the great Bindweed, Travellers-joy, and other ftrong growing plants, to fuftbeate the fhrubs which 
fupport it. 
It is recommended alfo, by fome authors, as affording excellent fodder for cattle. 
