atoll research bulletin no. 392 the flora of - Smithsonian Institution ...

pair largest, elliptic or ovate-lanceolate, acute to acuminate, base inequalaterally rounded,
entire, glabrous; petiole with conspicuous gland near base, petiolules 1 to 2 mm long;
inflorescence, a short 1- to 5-flowered axillary or terminal raceme, each flower subtended
by an acute, caducous bract; calyx deeply divided into 5 pinkish or brown-tinged sepals
with rounded tips; corolla, Spetaled, each petal about 9 to 16 mm long, obovate, yellow,
drying whitish and brown-veined; pods, 6 to 15 cm long and 5 to 9 mm wide, erect or
narrowly ascending, linear, flattened, glabrous, falcate, the margins somewhat thickened,
purplish in colour with green margins turning brown; seeds, 15 to 50, about 3 mm long,
ovate, brown, mostly with broad faces turned toward septa. Weed of waste places and
roadsides. Dried seeds boiled as a tea substitute during World War 11, a use learned from
the Japanese; soft leaves cooked as a spinach and used medicinally by the Chinese. 2,
3(58529), 4(128N), 5(13), 6, 7, 8(9547).
Centrosema pubescens Benth. " cen tro "
Pre-World War I1 introduction. Trop. S. America. Extinct. Trailing or climbing
herb, with slender pilose stems, often forming tangled mats; leaves trifoliate, petiolate,
the terminal leaflet larger; leaflets, 3 to 9 cm long and 1.5 to 5 cm wide, ovate to
elliptic, apex mucronate, base rounded, short-pilose but glabrate on both sides; inflores-
cence, compact, axillary, several-flowered pseudo-raceme, each flower subtended by
bracteoles about 8 mm long and equal in length or smaller than calyx; flowers blue to
purple or mauve with darker veins and a white or yellowish patch down the middle of
largest petal (standard), the standard, up to 4 cm broad and 3 cm long, broadly orbicular,
rather reflexed with a spur scarcely 1 mm long, pubescent without, the keel petals nearly
as long as the wings; pods, up to 17 cm long and 7 mm wide, excluding persistent style,
compressed, margins thickened, with 4 prominent ribs or wings near the sutures,
dehiscent, the style often persistent as a beak; seeds, often about 20, 5 by 3 by 2 mm,
oblong or subglobose, compressed, olive-green with red markings to red-brown with
black streaks, hilum small. Reported in 1935 to have been introduced, but not seen in
1978 or thereafter. A widely used pasture legume and nitrogenous cover or green manure
crop.
Cicer arietinum L. "chick pea", "garbanzo bean", "Indian gram", "common gram",
"chana" (Hindi)
Pre-World War I1 introduction. W. Asia. Extinct. Erect or spreading, much-
branched, annual herb, 25 to 50 cm tall, downy with all parts covered with clavate
glandular hairs and with tetragonous stems and a well developed tap root; leaves, about
5 cm long, imparipinnate with 9 to 15 leaflets, yellow-n to dark bluish-gr-izn;
stipules, about 8 mm long, ovate, notched; leaflets, 0.8 to 2 cm long and 0.5 to 1.5 cm
wide, opposite or alternate, ovate, elliptic or obovate, serrate; inflorescence, an axillary
jointed peduncle, bearing solitary flowers, 2.4 to 4 cm long, borne on pedicels 5 to 10
cm long and slightly longer than peduncles; calyx, united with 5 teeth; corolla, white,