transversim rugosis, sutura superiore crassissima. (Tab. LIV.)—Astragalus pectinatus.
Douglas, MSS. in Herb. Hort. Soc.—/3. foliis filiformibus.
Cattles decumbentes, pedales, flexuosi, erassi, fistulosi, striati, glabriusculi, inferne submidi. Folia
remota, alterna, digitem longa, pectinato-pinnatifida (!) potius quam pinnata, dorso prtecipue appresso-sub-
sericea. Rachis compressa nonnunquam furcata. Foliola opposita vel alterna, 6-8-10-juga sesqaiunciam vel
duas uncias longa, linearia, in /3. fere filiformia, rigidiuscula, subacuta, basi sessilia, minime articulata, cum
substantia rachidis concreta, et ita persistentia, terminali nonnunquam bifido, axillis glandula flava cornea
notatis. Stipules mediocres, bi-tri-lineares, subtriangulari-acuminate, inferiores marginibus hinc unite, apice
solummodo bifidse, superiores liberse magis angustiores. Pedunculi axillares, solitarii, erassi, striati, glabriusculi,
folium subsequantes. Racemus lato-ovatus, sub-13-florus. Flores magni, albi. Bractece minute,
ovato-acuminate, pedicellis paululum breviores. *Calyx cylindraceo-campanulatus, oblique 5-dentatus,
pilosus, pilis sparsis, nigris, appressis: dentes breves. Vexillum ovatum, attenuatum, obtusum, alis multo
longioribus, lateribus reflexis. Ala oblongse, subacuminate, unguiculate. Carina obtusa, alis brevior.
Stamina diadelpha, 1-9. Gerrnen lineari-oblongum, glabrum, stylo subulato-filiformi glabro triplo brevius.
Stigma parvum, capitatum. Legumen ovale, sessile, inflatum, crassum, coriaceo-cartilagineum, stylo curvato
rigido persistente terminatum, uniloculare, 12-14-spermum, bivalve, valvis intus spongiosis, extus profunde
transversim rugosis sutura superiore crassissima. Semen rotundato-reniforme, podospermo elongato.
H ab. Pastures of the Saskatchawan, Drummond; and on the Red-Deer and Eagle Hills, bordering on
that river. Douglas.—This is a very remarkable species of Phaca, differing from all its congeners in the great
length of the flowers, in the singularly thick and wrinkled fruit, and above all, in the structure of its leaves.
The leaflets do not appear to be jointed upon the rachis, but to form a continued substance with them, and
to be rather deeply-pinnatifid in a pectinated manner, than really compound and pinnated. In proof of this,
the upper leaflet, which is, as it were, a prolongation of the rachis, is sometimes forked, and the rachis itself
I have observed to be so in two or three instances. The leaflets are therefore persistent, and remain upon
the withered rachis, like the segments of a simple leaf. Notwithstanding this peculiarity of-structure in the
foliage, there is nothing, I think, in the fructification, that would justify a separation of the plant from Phaca.
T ab. LIV. Phaca pectinata. Fig. 1, Flower; fig. 2, Stamens and pistil; fig. 3, Alse and carina; fig. 4,
Pistil; fig. 5, Legumes:—natural size. Fig. 6, Single legume; fig. 7, Legume, bursting open; fig. 8,
Seed, with its s ta lk ^ a ll but fig. 6, more or less magnified.
6. P . podocarpa; canescens, valde ramosa, diffusa, caule ramisque striatis, foliolis
6-9-jugis lato-linearibus obtusis, stipulis parvis ovatis acuminatis, pedunculis-folio longioribus,
racemis laxis, leguminibus oblongis coriaceis compressis appresso-hirsutis
acuminatis basi in stipitem longum attenuatis, suturis incrassatis.
Radix perennis. Caules diffusi, subpedales, valde ramosi, striati, flexuosi, superne prsecipue pnbescentes.
Folia 4-5 uncias longa; foliolis 13-19 parvis, remotis, 6-7 lineas longis, linearibus seu lato-linearibus, sessili-
bus, obtusis, supra glabris, subtus appresso-pubescentibus. Pedunculi axillares, folio parum breviores, pilis
brevibus appressis obsiti. Racemi laxi. Flores mediocres, albi. Calyx cylindraceo-campanulatus, pubes-
centi-scaber; ore oblique 5-dentato. Alee carina sublongiores, vexillo breviores. Gerrnen lineare, sericeum,
stipitatum, superne in stylo filiformi sursum curvato attenuatum. Stigma obtusum. Stamina diadelpha
1, 9. Legumen valde coriaceum, rigidum, cano-hirsutum (vix maturum,) compressum, unciale, basi in stipitem
seque longum attenuatum, apice acuminatum, uniloculare, 12-14-spermum: suturis valde incrassatis, superiore
recta, inferiore arcuata. Semina podospermo elongato.
Hab. Dry, sandy, and barren grounds, at the Great Falls of the Columbia, rare. 1825. F t. J u n e -
August.—This stands marked, in Mr. Douglas’ collection, as a new genus; and there js indeed something
very remarkable in the appearance of its legumes, compressed as they are and thickened at the sutures,
both above and below, and borne upon a stalk as long as themselves. But it possesses all the essential
characters of Phaca, where I therefore place it.
Phaca.] LEGUMINOS2E. 143
7. P. nigrescens; obscure appresso-pilosa, caule erecto vel decumbente ramoso striato,
foliolis 8-10-jugis oblongis obtusis basi subcuneatis, racemis folio plerumque longioribus,
stipulis parvis ovatis subacutis basi connatis, calycis dentibus tubo paulo brevioribus,
leguminibus stipitatis oblongis membranaceis compressis glabris.
Radix perennis. Caules nunc erecti strictiusculi, nunc decumbentes flexuosi, striati, ramosi, ssepe purpur-
ascentes, parce pilosi, pilis albis sparsis appressis. Folia remota, digitalia. Foliola 1,7-21, plerumque
opposita, vix unciam longa, oblonga, obtusa, basi subcuneata, viridia, in planta sicca fructifera nigrescentia,
supra glabra, subtus appresso-pilosa. Bractece ovate, acuminate, parvse; inferiores connate, bifidae. Racemi
axillares, elongati, laxi, brevissime pedunculati, foliis vix excedentes, demum fructiferi longiores. Flores
parvi. Bractece lanceolate, acuminate, membranacese, pedicellis brevibus longiores ciliate. Calyx cam-
panulatus, superne pnecipue pubescens, 5-dentatus; dentibus lato-subulatis, tubo subseque longis. Corolla
alba vel ochroleuca. Gerrnen lineare, glabrum, stipitatum, stipite tubi calycis longitudine, stylo sursum
curvato brevius. Legumina uncialia, nutantia, fusco-nigrescentia, oblonga, valde compressa, membranacea,
glabra, basi in stipitem ealyeem duplo longiorem attenuata, apice stylo curvato terminata, plerumque recta,
nonnunquam paululum falcato-curvata.
Hab. On the Saskatchawan, to the Rocky Mountains, and as far north as Fort-Franklin, on the Mackenzie
River, in lat. 65°. Dr. Richardson; Drummond.—Although extremely plentiful in the localities just
mentioned, the present Phaca does not seem to have been known to any author. Its habit, like many of the
North American Phaca, is similar to that of several species in that division of Astragali to which A. canadensis
belongs; but the seed-vessel is here truly that of the present genus, though considerably compressed.
8. P. ? ccespitosa; acaulis, casspitosa, sericeo-nitens, foliis trifoliolatis longe petiolatis,
foliolis lanceolatis, stipulis magnis ovatis albo-membrajiaceis tenerrimis, floribus aggre-
gatis sessilibus, leguminibus oblongo-ovatis teretibus sericeis calyce tectis. (Tab. LV.)
—Nutt. Gen. Am. v. 2. p. 98. De Cand. Prodr. v. 2. p. 274.—Astragalus triphyllus.
Pursh, FI. Am. v. 2. p. 740. (non Pall.)
Radix perennis, crassa, fusiformis, sublonge descendens, apice multiceps: sed caules nulli vel brevissimi
csespitosi. Folia numerosa, longe petiolata, undique pulchei’rime sericeo-villosa, nitentia, 3- (5, Nutt.)
-foliolata, foliolis digitatis sessilibus lanceolatis basi attenuatis apice acutis. Stipules ad basin petioli, magrne,
ovate, membranacese, albae, tenerrimse, cito lacerate. Flores aggregate, sessiles ad basin foliorum. Corol-
lamperfectam non vidi. Calyx cylindraceo-campanulatus, villosus, ore 5-dentato, dentibus subulatis. Lego,
men oblongo-ovatum, teres, coriaceo-membranaceum, sericeum, sessile, apice in stylum filiformem flexuosum
attenuatum, calyce persistente fere omnino tectum, uniloculare, intus subspongiosum. Semina subdecem,
rotundato-reniformia, podospermo longiusculo suffulta.
Hab. Between Carlton-House and Edmonton-House, on the Saskatchawan. Dr. Richardson; Drummond.
—The whole habit and the inflorescence of this plant are so much at variance with those of Phaca, that I
cannot but consider it a very doubtful species of this genus. The fruit, however, accords with it. Pursh
who first described it under the name of Astragalus triphyllus, and whose short character perfectly agrees with
our plant, seems to have had specimens, like my own, without flowers. He gives it as a native of Upper
Lousiana, on the authority of Bradbury. Nuttall describes the corolla as ochroleucous: the leaves as sometimes
quinate, (which I do not find to be the case,) and he does not notice the beautifully silvery hue of the
whole plant, but calls it “ canescently villous.” His specimens are from gravelly hills near the confluence
of the Sawanee River with the Missouri.
Tab. LV. Phaca? csespitosa. Fig, 1 , Withered flower; fig. 2, Legume enveloped by the calyx; fig. 3,
Legume removed from the calyx; fig. 4, Legume laid open; fig. 5, Seed; fig. 6, Leaf:—all more or less'
magnified.
* * Floribus purpurascentibus aut albo et violaceo pictis.
9* P. Abonginorum; pubescenti-cana, caule erecto parce ramoso striato, foliolis sub-5-