VII.
PODALYRIA ARGENTEA
Silvery Podalyria.
ORDO NATURALIS.
Leguminosæ. Juss. Gen. p. 345.
Sect. 4. cujus definitionem vide sub No. 6.
Calyx basi replicatus, 5-fidus, parum irregularis. Vexillum grande, basi incrassatum: Carina parva, alis obtecta. Filamenta persistentia. Pericarpium sessile, gravidum ovale et ventricosum, polyspermum. Stylus vix arcuatus. Stigma capitatum. Frutices, pleræque sericæ. Stipulæ angustæ, cauli adpressæ. Folia simplicia laminis latis crassisque. Flores pedunculis axillaribus, solitarii vel breviter spicati, albidi colore mox in roseum mutabili. Bracteæ caducæ, gemmaceæ. Nomen, ob Vexillum basi lyyratum, a vocibus Græcis, πους pes λυρα lyra, derivarem; nec a filio Æsculapii.
P. foliorum laminis ovali-lanceolatis, sericeis: pedunculis 2-3-floris; calyce carinæ adpresso: vexillo lateribus integro.
P. biflora. Sims in Bot. Mag. p. 753. cum Ic. bona. P. biflora. Poiret en Encycl. Bot. v. 5. p. 444. P. biflora. Lamarck in Enycl. Bot. Illustr. t. 237. f. 3. pessima. Sophora biflora. Retz. Obs. 1. p. 30.
Sponte nascentem juxta Stellenbosch, legit F. Masson.
Floret apud nos fine Maii, Junio.
Professor Retzius first distinguished the species of this genus, but having only seen dried specimens, his characters want much correction. Dr. Sims has given a very excellent description of that here figured, and not omitted a character of great importance, namely, the insertion of the filaments in the receptacle, which in the flowers he examined were only seven in number, but in ours constantly ten. The calyx is also five-cleft, not three-toothed, and probably much more hairy in wild specimens than those of our gardens. A large melliferous gland at the base of the claw of the vexillum, is, I believe, common to the whole genus, which as it stands in Willdenow's work is still a jumble of heterogeneous species, containing, 1st. Those with pinnated leaves and long spikes of flowers, already separated by Lamarck; 2dly. A low thorny shrub with diphyllous petioles, and flat monospermous pods, allied to Halodendrum: 3dly. Those with ternate leaves and a stipitate pod: 4thly. Those with ternate leaves and very large stipules, from North America: 5thly. The true Podalyrias with simple leaves.
REFERENCES TO THE PLATE.
- The Vexillum.
- The Calyx, Anthers and Germen.
- Back View of the Calyx.
- The Germ and Receptacle.
- The Stigma magnified.
