302 
CALYCI FLORAE. 
branches ; branchlets angulose, armed with short sharp prickles, 
with clusters of leaves in their axils. Leaves small, very 
shortly petiolate, 3-4-5 crowded together, obovato-oblong, 
rounded and subemarginate with a minute deciduous awn at 
the apex, shining and glabrous above, puberulous beneath, 
deciduous in spring during dry weather. Flowers of a bright 
orange colour. Peduncles 2-3 together in the same cluster 
of leaflets, axillary, very short, each bearing 2 shortly pedi- 
celled flowers, furnished with a pair of minute lanceolate 
pubescent bracteoles a little below the calyx. Calyx sub-bi- 
labiate, 5-fid, with the divisions tooth-like, acute, ciliated, sub- 
equal with the exception of the lowest, which is somewhat 
longer and of a lanceolate shape ; externally pubescent, persis- 
tent. Standard clawed, obovato-rotund, subentire ; wings 
lineari-oblong ; keel cleft below, and slightly so at the apex, 
where also it is puberulous with minutely capitate hairs. 
Stamens submonadelphous (the tenth stamen being accrete to 
the rest for part of its length), with the sheath slit up above ; 
filaments of equal length : anthers minute, ovate. Ovary 
linear, compressed, sericeo-villous : style longer than the 
stamens : stigma simple. Legume pedicelled, not an inch in 
length, compresso-foliaceous, with the valves chartaceous, 
hirsute with minutely capitate hairs, Inarticulate ; lower joint 
with the upper suture nearly straight, and the under con- 
vex ; upper joint small, abortive. 
This is a very common tree in our savannahs and dry hills. 
When in blossom, with its long branches densely crowded 
with yellow flowers, it reminds the traveller of the broom of 
Europe. The wood is very hard and ponderous, and suscepti- 
ble of a fine polish. In by-gone days the branches were 
favourite instruments of flagellation, and may be regarded as 
in that respect supplying, though in an aggravated degree, the 
place of the Birch of Europe. 
* 
Sub-Order II. — Tribe VII. Swartziece. 
Flowers not papilionaceous. Petals none , or 1-2. 
Of this Tribe there are none indigenous to this 
Island. 
Division II. RECTEMEMBRIsE. 
T ribe VIII. Mim osece. 
Sepals and petals valvate. Stamens hypogynous. 
XXXIV. Entada. 
Flowers polygamous. Petals 5, distinct. Stamens 
