O'ROBUS PISIFOR'MIS. 
PEA-FORMED BITTER-VETCH. 
Clans. Order. 
DIADELPHIA. DFCANDRIA. 
Natvral Order. 
LEGUMINOSAo. 
Native of 
Heio-ht. 
Flowers in 
Duration. 
Cultivated 
S. Europe. 
J foot. 
May. 
Perennial. 
in 1832. 
No. 634. 
Orobus compounded from the Greek oro, excite; 
Bous, ox, indicating an exciting or fattening property. 
Orobus belongs to a natural order — Leguminosae, 
than which there is none more important. It possesses, 
too, a peculiarity worthy of notice. This is, as 
Dr. Lindley says, in his Introduction, the highly ir- 
ritable nature of the leaves of many species, and 
of the tendency to irritability discoverable in them 
all; in consequence of which some botanists have 
placed them at the extremity of their system, in 
contact with the limits of the animal kingdom. Du- 
trochet, who endeavours to show that this motion is 
the effect of galvanic agency, might, says Lindley, 
have been satisfied with attributing the phenomenon 
to an inherent vital action, without puzzling him- 
self with a vain search after first causes, which al- 
ways leaves the most successful enquirer exactly 
where he set out. 
The present is a desirable plant, with the habit of 
Orobus vernus. Raised by the Messrs. Pope, of 
Handsworth, from seeds received from the German 
Union, under the name adopted. It does not accord 
with any character of which we are in possession. 
