643 
with a description of the plant and some observations of 
its morphological and biological peculiarities mainly- 
quoted from the same author's earlier paper together with a 
list of vernacular names. 
"'Two years ago I called attention to an important 
botanical discovery by Dr. Kersting, who, in the northern 
territory of Sokode-Bassari , Togoland, came across an 
especially interesting new kind of bean which matured its 
pods below, instead of above ground. The well-known ground 
nut (Arachis hypogaea) , and the peanut (Voandzeia subter- 
ranea) , are similar instances. Kersting found that the 
natives of Togoland cultivated the bean, which they called 
Kandela in three varieties distinguished by their colors. 
I described this bean which is not known in the wild state, 
as Kerstingi ella geocarpa, the type of a new genus of 
Leguminosae . 
"'In July, 1910, Aug. Chevalier, the indefatigable 
African explorer, reported the existence in Dahomey of a 
plant which, to judge from the description, was very 
similar to, if not identical with, Kersting's bean. He 
named it Voandzeia poissoni, a new species of the genus of 
the peanut, giving the Dahomey name as 'Doi'. the beans 
are sold in the market of Abomey by the natives, who grow 
them largely. There were also here color varieties (white, 
black, or red and mottled). An account may be found in 
Quinzaine Coloniale, 1910, No. 16, p. 590. Chevalier's 
description suggested at once the identity of the Dahomey 
and the Togo bean. M. Chevalier was, on his return from 
Africa, good enough to send me a specimen of his Dahomey 
plant whilst I supplied him with material from Togoland and 
our comparisons proved that the two beans were actually 
identical, or in other words that the Togo bean extended 
into Dahomey and M. Chevalier has already stated (Compt. 
Rend. 1910, p. 1374) that he too considers his species as 
identical with Kerstingiella geocarpa. He gives an impor- 
tant account of its distribution in Dahomey, quoting vari- 
ous vernacular names. The species is also said to occur in 
British Nigeria, but up to the present I have seen no 
specimen from there. In Togo as well as in Dahomey the 
plant is known only in the cultivated state, which renders 
Kersting's and Chevalier's discoveries the more remarkable. 
. % "'Chevalier gives analyses (I.e. p. 1375) which show 
that the nutritious value of the beans is very consider- 
able. They are said to equal the richest peanuts in nitro- 
genous matter, whilst they have at the same time a more 
pleasant taste, particularly for Europeans, recalling that 
of the finest varieties of beans. The yield, owing to the 
smallness of the seeds (8-10 mm. by 6-7 mm.), is not large. 
