Volume 5 — PLATE CCCXIX.

VICIA GALEGIFOLIA.

Goat’s-Rue-leaved Vetch.

CLASS XVII. ORDER IV.

DIADELPHIA DECANDRIA. Chives in two sets. Ten Chives.

GENERIC CHARACTER.

Calyx. Perianthium monophyllum, tubulatum, erectum, semi-quinquefidum, acutum; dentibus superioribus brevioribus, conniventibus; omnibus æqualis latitudinis.

Corolla papillionacea.

Vexillum ovale, ungue lato oblongo, apice emarginatum cum acumine, lateribus reflexum, linea longitudinali compressa elevata.

Alæ duæ, oblongæ, erectæ, semicordatæ, ungue oblongo, vexillo breviores.

Carina ungue oblongo bipartito, ventriculo compresso, semiorbiculato, alis breviore.

Stamina. Filamenta diadelphia (simplex et novemfidum). Antheræ erectæ, subrotundæ, quadrisulcæ.

Nectarii glandulæ intra stamen compositum et germen e receptaculo oritur, brevis, acuminata.

Pistillum. Germen lineare, compressum, longum. Stylus filiformis, brevior, ad angulum erectum adscendens. Stigma obtusum, sub apice transverse barbatum.

Pericarpium. Legumen longum, coriaceum, uniloculare, bivalve, acumine terminatum.

Semina plura, subrotunda.

Empalement. Cup one-leaf, tubular, upright, half five-cleft sharp; the upper teeth the shortest, approaching; all the teeth of equal breadth.

Blossom butterfly-shaped.

Standard oval, with a broad oblong claw, notched at the top, with a point in the middle, sides reflexed, compressed and raised in a line running lengthways.

Wings two, oblong, erect, half-heart shaped, with an oblong claw, shorter than the standard.

Keel, with an oblong two-parted claw, the hollow part compressed like a half circle shorter than the wings.

Chives. Threads in two sets, (one alone, the other nine-cleft.) Tips upright, roundish four-furrowed.

Honey-cup, gland arising from the receptacle between the united threads and the seed-bud; short and tapered.

Pointal. Seed-bud linear, compressed and long. Shaft thread-shaped, shorter, turned upwards from an angle. Summit blunt, bearded transversely on the upper part at the end.

Seed-vessel. Pod long, tough, one-celled, two-valved terminated by a point.

Seeds many, rather round.

SPECIFIC CHARACTER.

Vicia pedunculis multifloris erectis; floribus striatis; foliolis ovalibus, subtruncatis, reflexis.

Vetch with many-flowered, upright fruit-stalks; flowers streaked; leaflets oval, rather appearing cut off at the points, reflexed.

REFERENCE TO THE PLATE.

This pretty plant is a native of New Holland, and was first received in seeds from thence under the name of Indigofera coccinea, in the year 1800, by Messrs. Lee and Kennedy, Hammersmith. It grows into a bushy plant, making a number of branches from the root, but is rather a woody than herbaceous plant; yet the branches have all the character of most of the species of this genus. It has not as yet been increased by cuttings, but from every appearance the seeds will ripen in this country; and there is little doubt but the roots may be divided with safety. It flourishes in a mixture of sandy peat and loam. Our figure was taken from a plant in the Collection of Messrs. Colvilies, King’s Road, Chelsea; where it has likewise flowered this present August, 1803.