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Botanical description. The tap root — a direct prolongation of the first year’s stem — Is 
swollen and napiform, and descends to a considerable depth, in the soil. The lateral branches are origt- 
nally buds in the axils of the radical leaves; they develope either in the first or second year into the 
lateral branches. Ascending vertically, they form a compact tuft. 
The aerial stems are three to four feet in height, erect, cylindrical and hollow and much branched. 
The leaves (fig. A) are imparipinnate; the midrib has a groove on its upper surface, and bears from 
four to eight pairs of opposite leaflets. The Jeaflets of the radical leaves are rounded, those of the 
cauline, oblong - lanceolate with silvery hair on their margins, and terminated by a long mucro; the 
upper surface is dark green and dull; the lower, lighter in colour, shining and provided with sparse 
adpressed hair. The radical leaves may reach the length of a foot or more, and the base of the petiole 
is spread out to form a red coloured sheath. The stipules of the radical leaves are lanceolate and 
adnate to the petiole; those of the cauline, semi-sagiltate with three acute teeth. In the bud, the 
leaflets are simply folded along the midrib. 
The inflorescence (fig. A) is an axillary raceme of loosely arranged flowers with a peduncle longer 
than the leaf from whose axil it springs. The bracts are persistent almost till the fruit ripens, and 
awl-like; they cover up the young flowers and surpass them in length so much as to produce at the 
apex of the raceme a sort of tuft (fig. A). 
The flowers are almost half an inch long, either light violet. or quite white in colour, and even 
_the violet flowers have. the wings and keel almost while. The calya (fig. 2) is gamosepalous and 
about one-fifth of an inch in length; the tube is conical and ten-ribbed: the teeth are five, as long as 
the tube, awl-shaped, and slightly downy, 
The standard (fig, 1) has a short, broad claw enclosed in the calyx-tube; the limb, rounded, 
gradually tapered off into the claw, emarginale at the apex, keeled along the middle line, reflex at the 
margins, and ascending al a right angle to the calyx, The wings have narrow claws. From each wing 
(figs. 3 and 4) a process is given off, which extends backwards and imwards so as to overlap and press 
upon the keel; in front of this is a eavily, into which a corresponding oulgrowth of the keel fits and 
locks the parts together, so that, when the wings are pressed down, the keel is carried along with 
them and when the pressure is removed, the parts return to their original position, The keel is com- 
posed of two petals (fig. 5) entirely coherent, except at the very base of the claws and at the 
other extremity, which forms the curved beak. The stamens (fig. 6) are ten in number; all the 
filaments unite to form a tube, complete for half its length; then the upper filament becomes free, 
and the tube is now splil; the free ends of the filaments and the anthers lie in the beak of the keel, 
The pistil (fig. 7) is composed of a long narrow oyary, a filiform style curved upwards, and a 
small capitate stigma wich protrudes beyond the anthers (fig. 6). 
No observations have been published on the secretion of the nectar or the visits of insects. 
The fruit (figs. 8 and 9) is dark-brown in colour, many-seeded, linear, almost cylindrical and 
slightly constricted (moniliform) between the seeds, its length varies between 15 and 37 mm. and its 
diameter, between 2 and 2*/2 mm.; the ventral and dorsal sutures appear as fine longitudinal veins 
from which numerous and close strice spring out and ascend at a very acule angle towards the apex of 
the pod; these strive from each suture cross in the middle of the valve at an angle equally acute 
(fig. 9). Each legume contains from three to seven seeds (figs. 10 and 11), of a light greyish-brown 
colour, angular, reniform, “4 mm, long, 3 mm. broad and 4'/2 mm. thick; the hilum is round and 
occupies the centre of a depression on the ventral surface of the seed. 
Varieties. In gardens, two varieties are in cultivation for ornamental purposes, viz. 1) the 
white flowered, and 2) the red flowered goat’s-rue, Both are of equal value in agriculture. 
In ancient limes goat’s-rue was well known as a medicinal plant (as a remedy against the plague, 
according to Haller), As a fodder plant, it was recommended in Germany by Arause in 1773, by 
Moser 1796, and later by others, At the present time, it is rarely cultivated. 
Botanical 
deseription. 
Varieties, 
History. 
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