Smithia
(named in honour of Sir James Edward Smith, 1759-1828, F.R.S. and P.L.S., founder of the Linnean Society, author of "English Botany," "Flora Britannica," and other works). ORD. Leguminosae. A genus comprising about a score species of stove herbs, sub-shrubs, or shrubs, inhabiting tropical Asia and Eastern Africa. Flowers mostly yellow, rarely purple or violet streaked with yellow, often in unilateral, axillary racemes; calyx deeply cut, the lobes connate in two lips; standard sub-orbicular, shortly clawed; keel in-curved, obtuse, or slightly rostrate; bracts and bracteoles scarious or striated, persistent. Pods folded back into the calyx. Leaves impari-or abruptly pinnate; leaflets small, often falcate, exstipellate; stipules membranous or scarious, persistent. S. purpurea, the only species which calls for description in this work, requires culture similar to Mimosa (which see). S. purpurea (purple). fl. purple, the round standard and the wings marked with white spots; bracts ovate, ciliated; peduncles bristly, equalling the leaves.