LATH'YRUS TOMENTO'SUS. 
COTTONY LATHYRUS. 
EXOGEN^ 
OR 
DICOTTLEDONE^. 
to which 
this Plant belongs. 
Natural division 
NATURAL ORDER, LEGUMINOSiE. 
COROLLTFLOR.®; 
OF 
DECAXDOLLE. 
1 I 
Artificial divisions 
to which 
this Plant belongs. 
No. 206. 
MONADELPHIA, 
DECAXDRIA, 
OF LIXNECS. 
GENUS. Lathyrus. Linnmus. Calyx urceolato canipanulatus, quinque- 
fidus, vel quinquedentatus, laciniis vel dentibus diiobus superioribus breviori- 
bus. Corolla papilionacea caljcem superans, Yexilluui basi ssepe utriiique 
appendiculato gibbum, alas carinam orbiculatam e basi inflexam cequantes. 
Stamina 10, filameiito vcxillari libero diavdelpha vel monadelpha, vagina sive 
integra sive fissa. AxSlther.e couformes. Ovarium sessile multiovulatum. 
Stylus eba,si refracta rectus, superue complanato dilatus, extus convexiusciilus, 
intus concavus, villoso-pubescens. Stigaia terminale, stylo vix latius abrevia- 
tum, truucato-rotundatum, retusLim. Leguaien compressum apterumvel sutiira 
superiore alatum, polyspiermum. Seaiina globoso compressiuscula, umbilico 
ovali stropliiola conformi demum evaiiida. Herbe ut plurimum, scandentes 
in regionibus temperatis totius orbis obvias; foliis abrupte pinnatis, cirrhosis, 
iiiterdum phyllodineis, uni-bi plurijugis, stipulis semi-sagittatis pedunculisaxil- 
laribus,uni-bi-multifloris. Endlicher ; Genera Plantarum, p. 1279. 
SPECIES. Lathyrus toaientosus {Lamarck) Nitenti sericeo-tomen- 
tosus, caule angulato-ramoso, striato, stipulis semi-sagittatis petiolo plus 
duplo longioribus, foliolis oblongo-liuearibus mucronato-acutis cirrbo subramo- 
so, pedunculis folio pluries longioribus sub 4 floris,legumine linear! dense seri- 
ceo-tomentoso, seminibus compresso-angulatis atro badiis. Vogel : in LiniiEea, 
Vol. 13, p. 25. 
Character of the Genus, Latfiyrus. Calyx urceolate, bell- 
shaped, five-cleft, or five-toothed, the two upper divisions or teeth the 
smaller. Corolla butterfly-shaped, exceeding the calyx ; standard 
frequently on each side with a gibbose appendage at the base. Wings 
equal to the orbicular keel, inflexed from the base. Stamens ten, 
Avith the filament next, the standard free, diadelphous, or monadel- 
phous. Sheath either entire or cleft. Anthers similar. Ovarium 
sessile, many ovuled. Style erect, bent back at the base, flattened 
in the upper part, exterior someAvhat convex, interior concave, pubes¬ 
cent. Stigma terminal, scarcely broader than the style, shortened 
roundly truncate, retuse. Legumen compressed, wingless, or winged 
on the upper suture, many-seeded. Seeds round, compressed. Um¬ 
bilical oval, with a similar strophiola, which aftei’Avards disappears. 
Description of the Species, Lathyrus tomentosus. Suf- 
FRUTicosE, covered more or less with a soft silky white pubescence, 
stem striated, angular, branched, but the branches more particularly 
angular. Leaves petiolate, one pair. Leaflets linear, lanceolate. 
Reference to the Dissections. 
1, represents the monadelphous stamens and style combined. 2, the ovarium, style, and stigma. 
3, the keel. 4, the calyx. 5, the wing. 6, the standard. 7, the mature seed vessel. 
