BRITISH WILD FLOWERS. 
129 
GENUS XVIII. 
THE HORSE-SHOE VETCH. (Hippocrepis, Lin.) 
Lin. Syst. DIADELPHIA DECANDRIA. 
Generic Character. —Calyx 5-cleft, with equal, acute lobes. 
Keel 2-lobed. Stamens diadelphous. Style filiform, acute. Pod of 
several joints, each containing one seed, and curved like a horse-shoe ; 
whence the upper edge of the pod appears as if out into several rounded 
recesses. Seeds cylindrical or compressed, oblong, attached to the 
middle part of each curvature. Herbaceous plants or shrubs. Leaves 
pinnated. Flowers yellow, either axillary, solitary, and sessile, or in 
umbels at the end of an axillary peduncle. (Dec.) 
Description, &c. —There is only one species of this genus which is a native of Britain, and it is called the 
Tufted Horse-shoe Vetch, ( H. cotnosa, Lin.,) because its flowers are produced in heads or tufts. It is a 
perennial plant, and produces its bright yellow flowers from May till August. When in flower, it is very difficult 
to distinguish it from Lotus corniculatus ; but when in seed it is easily known, from its pods being curved into a 
number of small indentures, which bear considerable resemblance to miniature horse-shoes. It is from this pecu¬ 
liarity that the plant takes both its English and its scientific name. 
GENUS XIX. 
THE SAINTFOIN. (Onobrychis, Tourn.) 
Lin. Syst. DIADELPHIA DECANDRIA. 
Generic Character. —Calyx 5-cleft, with subulate equal divisions. 1 winged ; the upper side thick aud straight; the lower convex and 
Keel truncate obliquely ; wings short. Stamens diadelphous. Pod thinner. Herbaceous plants. Leaves pinnated. Peduncles long, 
sessile, of one joint, compressed, indehiscent, coriaceous, prickly or J bearing spikes of flowers at the end. Flowers red or white. ( Lindley.) 
Description, &c.— It is very seldom that useful plants are so ornamental as this. The name of Onobrychis 
is derived from two Greek words, signifying asses’ 1 food ; and Saintfoin is compounded of two French words, 
signifying holy hay, and both allude to the highly nutritious properties of the plant when used as fodder. 
1.—THE COMMON SAINTFOIN. (Onobrychis sativa, Lam.) 
Synonyme. —Hedysarum Onobrychis, Lin. 
Engravings. —Eug. Bot., t. 96 ; 2nd ed., t. 1021 ; and our fig. 
6, in PI. 29. 
Specific Character. —Leaves pinnate, nearly smooth. Legumes 
single-seeded, toothed at the margin and ribs. Wings of the corolla not 
longer than the calyx. Stem elongated. (Smith.) 
Description, &c. —This very beautiful plant grows wild on chalky hills and dry open downs in various 
parts of England, and it is cultivated in many places as a very nutritious food for cattle. It is, indeed, very 
useful to the farmer, as it affords abundance of succulent food for cattle in dry seasons when there is little grass. 
It is a perennial, and it flowers in June and July. 
CHAPTER XXXII. 
-o- 
THE ROSE FAMILY. (Rosace.e, Juss.) 
Character of the Order. —Calyx 4 or 5-lobed, with a disk 
either lining the tube or surrounding the orifice ; the fifth lobe upper¬ 
most. Petals five, perigynous, equal. Stamens either definite or in¬ 
definite, inserted on the calyx, just within the petals, in aestivation 
curved inwards ; anthers innate, 2-celled, bursting longitudinally. 
Ovaries superior, either solitary or several, 1-celled ; ovula two or 
more, suspended, very rarely erect; styles lateral ; stigmata usually 
simple, and emarginate on one side. Fruit either 1-seeded nuts or 
small drupes; or follicles containing several seeds. Seeds suspended, 
rarely ascending. Embryo straight, with a taper short radicle pointing 
to the hilum, aud flat cotyledons. Albumen in small quantity, fleshy, 
usually almost obliterated when the seeds are ripe. Herbaceous plants 
or trees. Leaves simple or compound, alternate, with two stipul* at 
their base. (Lindley.) 
Description, &c. —The order Rosacese was formerly considered to include the Apple, Pear, and other 
plants comprised in the genus Pyrus ; and also the Thorns, the Medlar, and the Cotoneasters ; but these plants 
s 
