when he tells us, that the plant is called Caracalla, in that 
country; but that the right name is the one we find in 
Brotero, viz. Caracoleiro (i.e. snail-plant); from Caracol, 
the portuguese word for Snail. ae en 
Brotero speaks of it as a subarborescent shrub; with us 
it has been looked upon as a perennial herbaceous plant. 
Stem twining, from 12 to 20 feet high. Leaves very like 
those of the Common Kidney Bean, only smaller. Calyx 
bilabiate, upper lip emarginate, lower tridentate. Veaillum 
(standard) cordate, obtuse, emarginate, reclined, with de- 
flex sides: ale (wings) ovate, the length of the vexillum, 
with long ungues: carina (keel) narrow, twisted spirally. 
Filaments truly diadelphous, twisted spirally within the 
carina. Germen oblong, compressed, villous. Style fili- 
form, spirally twisted, pubescent at the upper part: stigma 
obtuse, thickish, villous. Pod long, straight, coriaceous, 
obtuse with a point: seeds reniform, oblong, compressed. 
The seed is seldom produced in England. 
The twisted carina is a principal feature in the generic 
character of Puaszotus. In the present species the vexillum 
is likewise twisted. 
