The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1867-10-29
Chemical Report on the Lespidoza Strata
: EEY PROF. RAINS

I F.
This plant belongs to the Leguminoss order
and is embraced in that portion called Papilion
aceous, or related to the peas and beans in its
mode of towering 1t is perennial and grows
into shrub or small bush, having severa
branches arising Immediately from a tap root
having firm woody fbrous structure, with
rough exterior These branches, in the Older
plants constitute large proportion of the entire
weight or substance and have at regular inter
val, partial joints, small trefoil leaves. From
/ the junction of these trefoils with the stems
arises single papilionaceous, very small, pink
flower which is succeeded by single seed OF
| pea, enveloped in an outer husk supported by a
ealyx of five rough brown leaflets enclosing a
| smooth black tough sack this contains the di-
cotyledonous single seed. .s ,sf
Accompanying this report there Is pencil
sketch by the camera lucida and microscope of
the different parts of the seed, above described.
1t will be seen from this that whilst the seed is
quite small, it is too large to be waited away by
the winds, and thus distributed throughout the
country; whilst the very tough, smooth, black
sack which holds each seed would prevent its
being digested by the cattle which should browse
On the plant, and thus would be carried and drop
ped In various and numerous places. Some Of
the seeds would probably also escape whole
probably gather it as food and thus might be
widely disseminated in comparatively very short
space of time. .-[ 49,. --.,
The plant has large proportion of the pecu-
liar aromatic substance or essential oil, which
imparts the odors of hay and dried grasses, which
even in its growing state can be readily perceived
and becomes very strong in the process of drying
1t is possible that this constituent may possess
certain qualities which may make it, at least at
first, somewhat disagreeable to cattle, which can
only be known by observation, whilst in the older
shrubs the rough and tough fbres of the stems
may, to a certain extent, irrtate their mouths
From the hasty chemical analysis which ]
have made of this plant, appended below, it will
be perceived that it approaches more nearly to
the field pea vine or pea hay in composition than
to other vegetables, though it differs from it in
having much larger proportion of most of the
inorganic constituents, particularly regards the
phosphoric acid and oxide of iron. The amount
of this acid-existing mainly in combination with
lime and magnesia-is indeed remarkable, and
surpasses most vegetables in this respect. This
fact, joined to the large proportion-over S81
per cent-of lime, soluble silica, and other inor-
ganic constituents of plants, cause it to be very
exhaustive to the soil whilst growing, and thus
will destroy most of the grasses among which it
may chance to grow. IF not kept under by the
plow and hoe it will prove highly injurious to
growing corn and cotton by abstracting SO largely
of their sustenance in the soil; whilst at the
same time if it can be made palatable and easy
OF assimilation to cattle, perhaps by being finely
cut or boiled, 1t may prove nutritious food,
yielding a valuable manure .-. -.