80 Gonolobus obliquus.
A t w in in g perennial plant, growing to the height of five or eight
feet, supporting itself on the surrounding shrubbery, or trailing on the
ground. The stem is perfectly cylindrical, and beset with long, transverse,
soft hairs, petioles and peduncles also very hairy. Leaves varying
in size. Those situated towards the root very large, and nearly
round and cordate at base, often from five to six or seven inches in
diameter. Those of the middle and upper part, cordate and semi-
acuminate. The costa, nerves, and veins of the under side of all the
leaves, invested with the same soft, but shorter, sienna-coloured pubescence
as the stem, which gives to the under disks a sericeous feel.
Flowers somewhat umbellate, situated on divaricating peduncles of
various lengths from one-fourth to three-fourths of an inch in length.
Segments of the calix acuminate, pubescent. Petals linear and lanceolate
linear, occasionally very narrow and long, often the breadth and
length represented in the plate. Colour, auricula-purple. Pod, muri-
cate, with soft spines of a dull brown colour. Grows throughout the
union, near damp thickets, flowering in July.
The table represents the plant as large as nature.