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Dicotyledons with Polypetalous Flavors. — Leguminosce . 
III. MIMOSE/E.—Flowers regular. Petals valvate. Stamens definite or indefinite. 
Distribution. —Chiefly Tropical in both Hemispheres, with a large and remarkable section of the 
principal genus (Acacia), characterised by leaves reduced to dilated leaf-stalks (phyllodes), almost 
restricted to Australia. None are European. 
Leaves unifoliolate in Genista ; trifoliolate in Clover (Trifolium); unequally pinnate in Bird’s-foot ( Ornithopus) 
and Sainfoin ( Onobrychis ), or the midrib terminating in a tendril in Pea (Lathyrus) and Vetch (Vida); reduced to 
a tendril in Yellow Vetchling (Lathyrus Aphaca) y to a dilated petiole ( phyllode ) in many cultivated Acacias, or to 
a spine in Furze (TJlex); exhibiting spontaneous motion in the Telegraph Plant (Desmodium gyrans), or remarkable 
irritability on mechanical stimulus in Sensitive Plant (Mimosa pudica). 
STIPULES rarely absent; very large and substituting the suppressed leaflets in Yellow Vetchling. 
CALYX gamosepalous, usually 5-toothed ; divided nearly to the base into two concave segments in Furze. 
Corolla in Papilionacese of 5 unequal petals, 1 outside, posterior and usually larger, the standard (vexillum) ; 
2 lateral, the wings (aloe); 2 anterior, usually cohering more or less by their lower margins, forming a boat-like 
sheath to the stamens, the keel (carina): keel-petals adherent below to the staminal tube in Clover (Trifolium). 
Stamens 10, monadelphous as in Furze and Broom (Gytisus); diadelphous as in Garden Pea and Clover; 
distinct as in Judas-tree ; or indefinite in Acacia. 
P'RUIT a several-seeded legume opening in two valves along the dorsal and ventral sutures as in Garden Pea 
and Broom ; a i-seeded legume as in many Melilots ( Melilotus ) and Red Clover ( Trifolium pratense); 1-seeded 
and in dehiscentin Sainfoin ; legume more or less deeply divided longitudinally into 2 cells in Astragalus ; inde- 
hiscent and inflated in Bladder Senna (Colutea); divided transversely into i-seeded ultimately separable joints 
( lomentaceous) as in Bird’s-foot (Ornithopus) ; spirally twisted in many Medicks (Medicago): drupaceous as in 
Tonquin-bean (Bipteryx'); matured upon or under the surface of the ground in Earth-nut (Arachis hypogcea) and 
Subterranean Clover (Trifolium subterraneum). 
Seeds exalbuminous in British genera. 
