BRITISH WILD FLOWERS. 
125 
§ 1 .—Stalks elongated, many-flowered. 
1.—THE WOOD VETCH. (Vicia sylvatica, Lin.) 
Engravings. —Eng. Bot., t. 79 ; 2nd ed., t. 1008; and our fig. 2, | Specific Character. —Stalks many-flowered. Leaflets elliptical, 
in PI. 29. j Stipulas crescent-shaped, deeply toothed. (Smith.) 
Description, &c. —This is a very elegant plant, which is generally found in the mountainous districts of 
Great Britain, where it is tolerably common. The stem does not climb higher than five or six feet. The 
flowers are of a very pale blue, or white striped with blue, and they appear in July and August. The plant is a 
perennial. 
2. —THE TUFTED VETCH. (Vicia Cracca, Lin.) 
Engravings. —Eng. Bot., t. 1168; 2nd ed., t. 1009. j Leaflets lanceolate, downy. Stipulas half-arrow-shaped, mostlv entire. 
, Specific Character. —Stalks many-flowered. Flowers imbricated. j (Smith.) 
Description, &c. —This is one of the commonest species in Great Britain, as there is scarcely a hedge in the 
months of July and August that does not show abundance of its flowers, which vary from a pale blue to a dark 
reddish purple. The plant is a perennial, and it grows best on sandy soils. 
§ 2.— Flowers axillary, nearly sessile. 
3. —THE COMMON VETCH. (Vicia sativa, Lin.) 
Engravings. —Eng. Bot., t. 334 ; 2nd ed., t. 1010. i Leaflets elliptic-oblong ; lower ones abrupt. Stipulas with a blackish 
Specific Character. — Flowers nearly sessile, mostly in pairs. 1 depression beneath. Seeds orbicular, smooth. (Smith.) 
Description, &c. —There are two varieties of this species, one of which, V. angustifolia, has narrower leaves 
and paler flowers than the species; and the other, V. Bolartii , has very small dark crimson flowers. Both 
the species and its varieties are annuals, and the flowers are produced in June. Perhaps no plant produces more 
luxuriant food for cattle than the stem and leaves of the common Vetch. The seeds are used as food for pigeons. 
THE SPRING VETCH. (V. lathyroides, Lin.) 
A little insignificant plant, with very small purple flowers- 
THE ROUGH-PODDED YELLOW VETCH. (V. lutea, Lin.) 
This is rather a coarse-growing plant, with hairy leaves and rough pods. It is generally found on rocks, or 
growing among stones on the sea-shore. It is a perennial, and its pale yellow flowers, which are generally 
streaked with purple, are produced in June and July. 
THE HAIRY-FLOWERED YELLOW VETCH. (V. hybrida, Lin.) 
This species is distinguished from the last by the hairs on the standard of the flower. It is only found in 
Somersetshire, and near Lincoln. It is a perennial, and it produces its yellow flowers in June and July. 
THE SMOOTH-PODDED VETCH. (V. laevigata, Smith.) 
This species has only been found on the sea-coast near Weymouth. The flowers are generally pale blue, or 
white ; though they are sometimes yellow. The plant, however, is always easily distinguished by the smooth¬ 
ness of its pods. The seeds are always extremely bitter. The plant is a perennial, and it flowers from July to 
September. 
THE BUSH VETCH. (V. sepium, Lin.) 
This is a common species, growing in bushes and hedge-rows in every part of England. The flowers are 
blue, and they appear from May till July. 
