O R O B U S fylvaticus.
Wood Orobus, or Bitter Vetch.
D I A D E L P H I A Decandria.
G e n . C h a r . Style linear, downy above.. Calyx blunt
at the bafe, its upper fegments deeper and fhorter.
S p e c . C h a r . Stems lying down, hairy, branched.
Leaflets numerous.
S y n . Orobus fylvaticus. Linn. Sp. PL 1029. Hudf.
3,14. Lightf. 390. t. 16. With. 630. Dickf. H.
Sicc. fafc. 1. in.
O. fylvaticus noftras. Rail Syn. 324.
G a t h e r e d by Mr. P. Harrifon, druggift, of Darlington,
at Gamblefby, Cumberland (where Ray found it), and fent to
us by Mr. Robfon. It has alfo been found at Hafod, Cardigan-
fliire, by Mr. Todd, the intelligent gardener of T. Johnes, Efq.;
nor does it appear to be very rare in the mountainous (not
alpine) woods and thickets of Wales and Scotland. It flowers
in May or June, and the feeds are quite ripe in July.
Root ftrong and perennial, producing a great number of
fpreading ftems, which lie almoft proftrate ; they are angular,
a little hairy, leafy, at firft Ample, but after flowering Ihort
leafy branches grow out of the bofoms of the leaves above the
flower-ftalks. The leaves are alternate, with a pair of half-
arrow-Ihaped ftipube at their bafe, and conflft of numerous,
moftly oppoflte, oblong, pointed leaflets, without a terminal
one. Flowers in clufters, on folitary, axillary^ Ample, long,
many-Aded ftalks. Each flower Hands on a reddifh drooping
bradteated partial ftalk. The calyx is rather more hairy than
the ftalks, but the hairinefs of the whole herb is variable. The
ftgure of Lightfoot however, as Mr. Robfon obferves, represents
it too hairy all over. The flowers are of a delicate cream-
colour, ftreaked and tinged with purple; the keel in particular
is tipped with the laft-mentioned colour. The pods are com-
prefled, fmooth, of a light brown, and contain from one to
three feeds.