134 
XXX. LEGUMINOSiE 
entire, about J-J in. across ; upper surface glabrous, lower thinly 
hairy, paler. Flowers bright blue, hardly J in. long, solitary on 
hairy, drooping, thread-like stalks, in leaf -opposed clusters of 2-6. 
Calyx densely hairy ; teeth very long. Pod sessile, J-J in., 
pubescent or glabrous, slightly curved, net-veined ; upper margin 
straight, lower slightly indented ; joints 3-5. 
Giri valley, usually in grass ; September, October. — Common in pastures 
throughout India, ascending to 4000 ft. — Most tropical regions. 
9. Desmodium parvifolium, DC. ; FI. Br. Ind. ii. 174. A 
small shrub ; stems tufted, trailing, 6-24 in., glabrous or thinly 
hairy, much branched. Leaflets ovate or oblong-ovate, in. 
long, entire ; upper surface glabrous, lower thinly hairy. Racemes 
numerous, J-l in., hairy. Flowers purple-blue, hardly J in. long. 
Calyx densely hairy ; teeth long. Pod sessile, in., straight, 
pubescent, both margins deeply indented ; joints 3-5. 
Simla, common round Summer Hill ; August-Oftober. — Throughout India, 
ascending to 6000 ft. — Tropical Asia, extending to Japan. 
10. Desmodium gyrans, DC. ; FI. Br. Ind. ii. 174. An erect, 
nearly glabrous undershrub. Leaflets oblong-lanceolate, entire, 
obtuse ; upper surface glabrous, lower thinly hairy, pale ; lateral 
leaflets very small, about in., one or both often wanting ; ter- 
minal one 2-5x|-l in. Racemes numerous, 3-8 in. Flowers 
nearly \ in. long, pale yellow, the wing-petals tinged with pink or 
blue ; buds in pairs, enveloped in the bracts. Pod dehiscent, 
opening along the lower margin, sessile, 1-1| in., curved, glabrous ; 
upper margin continuous, lower slightly indented between the 6-8 
seeds. 
Valleys below Simla ; August, September. — Throughout India, ascending to 
5000 ft. — Tropical Asia. 
The Telegraph or Semaphore plant ; so named from the jerky vertical move- 
ments of the lateral leaflets, especially when exposed to full sunshine. 
24. VICIA. The classical name of some kind of Vetch, 
probably Vida sativa. — N. temperate regions and S. America. 
Annual or perennial herbs ; stems weak, often climbing. 
Leaves pinnate, the rachis ending in a tendril ; leaflets usually 
many, opposite or nearly so, entire, midrib running out in the form 
of a minute bristle ; stipules large, pointed, often toothed, base 
prolonged below the attachment in a pointed lobe. Flowers few 
or numerous, in stalked, axillary racemes, sometimes solitary or in 
pairs. Calyx bell-shaped ; teeth 5, the 3 lower longer than the 
upper. Petals longer than the calyx : standard broad, erect ; keel 
nearly straight, obtuse, shorter than the wings. Upper stamen 
nearly or quite free, others united. Style incurved, cylindric, nearly 
glabrous or pubescent all round or minutely bearded on the outer 
face close under the small stigma. Pod flat ; seeds few or several. 
