58 
BOTANY OF THE ROUTE. 
Lathyrus maritimus. Bigel. (G-.) Abundant on sandy prairies along sea-shore; April to 
July. 
L. polyphyllits, Nutt. (T.) Abundant in fir forests from Columbia river north, presenting 
several varieties; June to July: purple. 
L. VENOSUS, Muhl., var. (T.) Fir forests Vancouver to Steilacoom; June; common. 
L. palustris, Linn. (G.,) vars. a . ft. Common everywhere in wet ground; May to October. 
L. (?) villosus, Torr. (Expl. Exped. coll, ined.,) (T.) Dry, shady fir forest near Steilacoom; 
May 23; rare. 
Orobus littoralis, Gray , Plate VI. Astrophia littoralis, Nutt. Sandy sea-shore near 
mouth of Columbia river at high water mark, common; flowers pale blue and white; seeds few, 
as large as small peas; collected in flower May 23. “Villous; canescent all over; stems 
numerous from creeping root stocks, decumbent or ascending; stipules almost as long as the 
leaf, ovate or oblong, obtuse, the upper semihastate; leaflets one to three pairs, and with a 
usually smaller or imperfect terminal one or a pair of such, linear spatulate; racemes, five to 
ten flowered, dense, on an elongated peduncle; legume oblong, villous. Astrophia littoralis, 
Nutt, in Torr. & Gray , FI. 1, p. 278. The specimens are in blossom, (while those of Nuttall 
were in fruit,) and the flowers are just those of Orobus, to which genus the plant undoubtedly 
belongs. The style accords with that of Orobus vei'nus, except, perhaps, the dilated and 
flattened portion extends further down; nor does the pod furnish any distinctive character.”— 
Gray. 
Psoralea phYsodes, Dougl. (G.) Common on prairie near Steilacoom; June; whitish yellow, 
(S.) “Leaves used as a poultice.”— Gibbs. 
Trifolium microcephalum, Pursh. (G.) Common on inland prairies; two feet high. (Steila¬ 
coom, S.) 
T. fimbriatum, Lindl. var. (G.) Prairies of interior and dry parts of marshes near coast; 
June, flowers purple, very variable, 1—2 feet, (S.) 
T. procumbens, Linn. (G.) Cultivated ground; probably introduced; June. 
(Medicago sativa, Linn. (G.) Steilacoom, introduced, S.) 
Melilotus parviflora, Desf. (G.) About houses, Shoalwater bay, introduced. 
Hosackia bicolor, Dougl. (G.) Common on prairie near Steilacoom; June, in wet soil, 
flowers yellow and white. 
H. decumbens, Benth. In dry soil with preceding; June, flowers yellow and red, (S.) 
H. parviflora, Benth. (G.) On sandy prairie, Steilacoom and along the coast; June, flowers 
very small, red and yellow. 
Lupinus micranthus, Dougl. (T. & G.) Common in gravelly soil under shade, on prairie 
near Steilacoom; May 20th, flowers blue, white, or pink on different plants, size and shape of 
leaves variable. 
L. lepidus, Dougl. (G.) Open gravelly prairies about Puget Sound. About a foot high, in 
flower; June 10th, violet purple. The only fragrant species I found.—(S.) 
L. polyphyllus, Lindl. (T.) Common in damp, rich woods near Steilacoom; June, often 5 
feet high, the raceme 1^ foot long, color light or dark purple. 
L. nootkatensis, Dougl. (G.) Sandy prairie along coast north of Columbia river; May 20th, 
flowers blue, with white keel. Differs from the description in wanting the 11 red and yellow 
veins,” and the leaflets are pubescent on both sides. Stems procumbent, spreading, 2 feet 
long. The only species I found along the coast. The L. littoralis , Dougl., somewhat resembles 
