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THE LADIES’ FLOWER-GARDEN 
5. LOTUS TETRAGONOLOBUS, Lin. THE DARK CRIMSON-WINGED PEA. 
Synonyme. —Tetragonolobus purpureus, Mcench. 
Engravings. —Bot. Mag. t. 151 ; and our Jig. 9, in Plate 23. 
Specific Character. —Plant pilose. Steins ratlier decumbent. 
Leaflets obovate, entire. Stipules ovate. Flotvers solitary or twin. 
Bracteas longer than the calyx. Legume glabrous, with broad wings. 
Seeds globose. — (G. Don.) 
Description, &c. —This very curious plant has dark crimson flowers, and large flat pods, which are so 
deeply winged, that they appear surrounded by a flounce. It is a native of Sicily, and was brought to England in 
1769. It is quite hardy, and was long a great favourite in flower-gardens ; hut it is now seldom grown. It is, 
however, well deserving of cultivation from the rich colour of its flowers, and its curious seed-pods. The only place 
where we ever saw it growing, was the Lewisham nursery, in the summer of 1838 ; and we suppose seeds may be 
procured there, though they are not included in the general lists of the London nurserymen. The seeds should 
be sown in April, and the plants will come into flower in June. 
C.—LOTUS BIFLORUS, Des. THE YELLOW TWIN-FLOWERED WINGED PEA. 
Synonymes.— L. conjugatus, Poir; Tetragonolobus biflorus, 
Seringe. 
Specific Character.— Plant pilose, rather decumbent. Leaflets 
obovate, somewhat mucronulate, entire. Stipules orbicularly oblong, 
Description, &c.— A decumbent plant, with bright 
acuminated. Flowers twin or ternate. Bracteas ovate, shorter than the 
calyx. Legumes pilose with narrow wings. Seeds almost globose.— 
(G. Don.) 
yellow flowers; a native of Barbary, and also of the 
fields near Palermo. Introduced in 1818 ; and very suitable for planting on rock-work with the preceding and 
following species. We do not know where seeds are to be purchased, hut the seedsmen might easily procure 
them from Sicily. 
7.—LOTUS CONJUGATUS, Lin. THE PURPLE TWIN-FLOWERED WINGED PEA. 
Synonyme. —Tetragonolobus conjugatus, Seringe. 
Specific Character. —Plant pilose. Stems rather decumbent, 
leaflets obovate, entire. Stipules ovate, small, acuminated. Flowers 
in pairs. Bracteas obovate, longer than the calyx. Legume glabrous, 
nearly round, with very narrow wings, which are hardly curled. Seeds 
ovate, compressed, black.—(G. Don.) 
Description, &c. —This species bears a very close resemblance to the preceding kind, except in the colour 
of the flowers, and in the legume being smooth instead of hairy. It is a native of the country near Montpelier, 
and was introduced in 1759. We do not know where seeds are to be purchased in London, but we suppose 
they might easily be procured from Paris, through M. Vilmorin, or any other French nurseryman. 
OTHER SPECIES OF LOTUS. 
These are very numerous ; but not sufficiently distinct to be recognised by any descriptions we could give of 
them, except by botanists. One of them, L. Orrdthopodioides , has nearly round legumes disposed so as to 
resemble a bird’s foot, and as this was one of the first species described by botanists, the English name for the 
genus, Bird’s-trefoil, was taken from it. Most of the kinds have golden-yellow flowers, but there are some 
exceptions, and among others the following. 
L. GEBELIA, Vent. 
This plant is a native of Mount Gebel-clier, near Aleppo ; and was introduced in 1816. It is decumbent, 
with large rose-coloured flowers ; and though marked as a perennial in books, might very probably be grown as 
an annual; and it would produce a fine effect on rock-work. 
