290 
CALYCIFLOUi'E. 
fewer by abortion, ovate, compressed, with a fungous 
callosity arising from the umbilicus. 
Herbaceous or suffrutescent twining plants; leaflets pinnato- 
3-foliate ; pedicels semiverticillate. 
1. Lablab vulgaris. Bonavist Bean. 
Legumes oblongo-ventricose acinaciform, pericarp 
easily withdrawn, seeds ovate slightly compressed, 
basilary glandule hemispherical sulcated. — Be Cand. 
Phaseolus maximus perennis, floribus spicatis, albis, speciosis, 
siliquis brevibus latis, semen album hilo albido fere circurn- 
dante, Sloane, I. 177. t. 113. — Dolichos Lablab, Linn. Sp. 
1019. — Lablab vulgaris, Savi, Diss. 19. f. 8. 
HAB. Ruinate provision grounds. 
' FIj. Throughout the year. 
There are two varieties in the island : a. albiflorns, with the 
flowers white, bracteoles shorter than the calyx, seeds of a pale 
ferruginous colour : )3. purpureus , with the flowers purple, 
bracteoles of the same length as the tube of the calyx, seeds of 
a dark purple, stem purpurascent. The former is the most 
common. The stem is suffrutescent at the base, and appears 
to be perennial. It is continually in bearing, and lasts for 
several years. The pods are apt to have a disagreeable heavy 
smell, from being visited by a large green bug. The bean is 
very coarse, scarcely ever cultivated, and seldom made use of, 
except in times of scarcity. It is originally a native of Egypt, 
where it forms an important article of food to the poorer class 
of the inhabitants. The pods, according to M. Achren (Journ. 
de Chemie Medic. III. 102.), contain gallic acid. 
XXVII. Canavalia. 
Calyx tubulose bilabiate ; under lip S-dentate ; 
upper of two rounded lobes. Vexillum large, bi- 
callose, the callosities parallel : wings stipitate, oblong, 
auriculated : keel dipetalous. Stamens monadelplious, 
or with the 10th subadherent. Legume compressed, 
3-keeled along the back, furnished with a cellulose 
membrane among the seeds : seeds ovali-oblong ; 
hilum linear. 
Herbaceous or suffruticose ; branches twining ; leaves pin- 
nato-3-foliate ; racemes axillary, or opposite to a leaf, many- 
flowered ; pedicels 3-nate. Flowers large, purpurascent. I 
have been obliged to modify the generic character as regards 
the calyx, in order to admit into the genus Canavalia altis- 
sima. Canavali is the Indian name of C. ensiformis. 
