930 BOTANY 
Root. A branched tap-root with many nodules’ 
on it. These indicate the presence of bacteria that 
absorb free nitrogen from the air. 
Stem. Herbaceous, ribbed, glabrous (without 
hair), green. 
Leaves. Cauline, alternate, pinnately compound, 
stipulate (stipules large, green, and persistent). The 
leaf ends in a branched tendril which really consists 
of the midrib of the terminal leaflet, the blade having 
disappeared. 
Inflorescence. Axillary, in two or three flowered 
racemes. 
Flower complete, zygomorphie (te., irregular) 
papilionaceous, diameter about an inch, perigynous. 
Calyx. Sepals five, synsepalous, green, hairy, 
inferior. 
Corolla. Petals five, apopetalous, slightly perigy- 
nous (i.e., lifted up on the receptacle), consists of 
standard on outside (posterior), two wings (lateral), 
keel of two united petals (anterior). 
Andrecium. Stamens ten, in two whorls, perigy- 
nous diadelphous (7.¢., in two groups; nine of the 
stamens are united by their filaments to form a tube, 
the posterior stamen being free). In the kowhai, the 
stamens are all free and the flower is of a highly 
perigynous nature. At the base of the stamens 
nectaries occur. The nectar formed by them aceumu- 
lates between the stamens at the base of the ovary. 
Gynecium. Monocarpous (7.¢., only one earpel) ; 
superior; sutural placentation (7.¢., ovules on suture) ; 
style bent at right angles, usually short; stigma, 
terminal. 
Fruit. A legume, seed without endosperm. 
Pollination. Flowers, irregular and_ brightly 
coloured, attract insects. The pea is generally 
pollinated by the bee. An insect alighting on the 
flower is partly supported by the wings of the corolla. 
