longest ; the upper one bifid at the apex. Corolla deciduous : vexillum Ma-
brous) obovate or nearly orbicular, without callosities, the margins of the
short spurs and of the claw folded in : wings smaller than the keel-petals
narrowly oblong, somewhat falcate, with a subulate tooth at the base nearly
the length of claw : the keel conspicuous, rounded, a little falcate, rather shorter
than the vexillum. Stamens diadelphous ; the free filament articulated at
the base. Ovary semi-oval, compressed, hairy, 2-ovuled : style filiform, the
lower portion hairy, the upper half indurated : stigma small, subcapitate,
glabrous. Legume oblong, tapering at the base, sessile, several times longer
than the calyx, compressed, 1-2-seeded. Seeds roundish, somewhat carun-
culate.—Erect and rigid perennial herbs, with numerous slender and simple
branches. Leaves small, pinnately trifoliolate, on very short petioles : leaflets
elliptical or oval, the lower surface copiously dotted with resinous atoms.
Stipules minute, setaceous, deciduous. Flowers solitary or nearly so in the
axils of the upper leaves, rather large, “ yellow, the vexillum marked with
numerous red lines ’ ( Chojrvian. in litt.), on short pedicels.
The genus Pitcheria is very nearly allied to Rhynchosia, rather than to Galactia
as will be seen from the detailed character given above. Indeed, supposing thaï
genus to comprise the subgenera indicated by Arnott, we find it nearly impossible
m ln S 8' Plt<* ena b7 any absolute character. Ourplant should also be compared
with several species of De Candolle’s section (or genus) Eriosema, from
Mexico and Central America, with which it appears to agree in habit, &c. The
genus is dedicated to Dr. Z. Pitcher, late of the United States Army, whose name
so frequently appears as a contributor on the pages of this work. *
P. galactoides (Nutt 1. c.) ,
a. petioles shorter than the lateral leaflets ; peduncles 1- 3-flowered.
/?.? parvifolia: leaves much smaller, subsessile; peduncles 1-flowered
ïn dry soil, Alabama, Dr Gates ! Middle Florida, Dr. Chapman!
May. Stem about 3 feet high, virgately branched; the branches angled,
and (as well as the calyx and veins of the leaves) minutely pubescent
Leaves very numerous sprinkled beneath with rather conspicuous yellow
dots : petioles 4-o lines long : leaflets i - J of an inch in length (in (i. smaller).
usually rather obovate-oval, glabrous and somewhat reticulately veined above •
the terminal one a little distant from the others ; the lateral ones smaller’
almost sessfle. Flowers solitary or m pairs, on pedicels rather shorter than
the calyx, rising from the axils of the leaves, or in a short 2-3-flowered raceme.
Flowers 5-6 lines long: vexillum partly folded round the other petals -,
keel-petals slightly connected, very broad. Mature legumes nearly an inch
long, and i of an inch wide, pointed with the base of the style straight
Seeds mottled—The specimens of our var. /?., which perhaps belong to a
distinct species, were sent from Alabama by Dr. Gates, and are not very
complete. The leaflets (of the rameal leaves) are only 3 or 4 lines long, and
the petioles being short ip proportion, the leaves appear to be nearly sessile.—
The flowers are stated by Nuttall to be red, and they appear reddish in dried
specimens.
Subtribe 3. Glycine.*, Eenth.—Ovary with several ovules. Inflorescence
racemose, with the pedicels often more or less aggregated on small
alternate knobs. Bracteoles very small, often deciduous. Vexillum usually
biappendiculate. Style not indurated. Cotyledons flat, foliaceous in germination.—
Flowers small.
13. GALACTIA. P. Browne; Michx. fL. 2. p. 61; Benth. Leg. gen. p. 62.
Calyx 4-cleft; segments acute, of nearly equal length, the upper one broadest.
Vexillum incumbent, without callosities, broad: keel petals slightly
cohering at the apex. Legume compressed, linear, many-seeded.—Twining
or prostrate herbaceous (as are all the N. American species) or somewhat
shrubby plants. Leaves pinnately trifoliolate (in G.? Elliottii, pinnate), rarely
reduced to a single leaflet. Racemes axillary, usually loosely-flowered.
1. G. glabella (Michx.): stem prostrate, somewhat twining, nearly glabrous
; leaflets elliptical-oblong or ovate-oblong, obtuse, emarginate, glabrous
above, slightly hirsute beneath ; racemes a little longer than the leaves; flowers
approximated, distinctly pedicellate; calyx nearly glabrous; legumes somewhat
hirsute.—Michx. / fl. 2. p. 62; Nutt. gen. 2. p. 117; Ell. sk. 2. p.
239; DC. prodr. 2. p. 238.
0. leaflets ovate, rather acute.
Sterile sandy soils, New-Jersey! to Florida! 0. Florida, Dr. Chapman!
Aug.-Sept.—Stem 2-4 feet long, spreading on the ground, or sometimes
twining around other plants. Leaflets variable in size and form, usually about
an inch long and half an inch broad. Racemes at first rather shorter, but at
length somewhat longer than the leaves. Pedicels 2 lines long. Segments
of the calyx acuminate. Corolla reddish-purple. Anthers linear-oblong.
Legume slightly falcate, 4-6-seeded.—The New-Jersey plant is regarded by
Nuttall as a distinct species from.Elliott’s.
2. G. pilosa (Nutt.): stem twining, minutely and retrorsely hirsute ; leaflets
oblong-ovate, finely hirsute on both surfaces, paler beneath; racemes
much longer than the leaves; flowers on short pedicels, scattered and remote ;
legume villous.—Mitt. gen. 2. p. 116 ?; Ell. sk. 2. p. 238 ; DC. prodr. 2.
p. 237.
0. Macrcei: plant very slender and more glabrous; peduncles 4-6 times
longer than the leaves ;>flowers distinctly pedicellate.—G. Macrsei, Curtis!
in Bost. jour. nat. hist. 1. p. 120, excl. syn. Nutt.
y. angustifolia: plant very slender; stem pubescent; leaflets linear-ob-
long; peduncles 3-4 times longer than the leaves; flowers distinctly pedicellate.
■
Dry sandy soils, North Carolina ! to Florida! west to Louisiana! and Arkansas
! 0. N. Carolina, Curtis! S. Middle Florida, Groom ! East Florida,
Lieut. Alden!—Leaflets larger and more acute than in G. glabella; the racemes
much more slender, and the flowers smaller and scattered along the
peduncle. Anthers linear-oblong.
3. G. mollis (Michx.): stem prostrate or twining, retrorsely and softly
pubescent; leaflets oval, obtuse, canescently villous and paler beneath; racemes
much longer than the leaves; fascicles of flowers approximated
toward the summit of the peduncle; pedicels very short; calyx and legumes
very villous.—MicAr, ! fl. 2. p. 61; Nutt. gen. 2. p. 1171 ; Ell. sk. 2. p.
238; DC. prodr. 2. p. 237.
Dry soils, Maryland ! to Florida! August.—Leaflets conspicuously veined,
about an inch long. Peduncles about twice as long as the leaves. Calyx
half as long as the reddish-purple corolla. ( Anthers oval. Legume straight.__
Differs from the preceding species in being more pubescent, the fascicles of
flowers more approximated, and in the shorter pedicels. The flowers are
scarcely more than half as large as in G. glabella.—Mr. Nuttall refers G. pi-
osa of Elliott to this species; and G. mollis of Michaux he is inclined to regard
as a distinct plant from his own of that name, which he proposes to call
G. pallida. G. mollis, Pursh, probably includes two species.