in botany: A genus of the dianthidium order, belonging to the diadelphia class of plants; and in the natural method ranking under the 32nd order, Papilionaceae. The basis of the vexillum has two callous knobs, oblong, parallel, and compressing the alae below. There are 25 species; the most remarkable of which are the following.

1. The lablab, with a winding stalk, is a native of warm climates, where it is frequently cultivated for the table. Mr Hasselquist informs us, that it is cultivated in the Egyptian gardens, but is not a native of that country. The Egyptians make pleasant arbours with it in their houses and gardens, by supporting the stem and leading it where they think proper. They not only support it with sticks and wood, but tie it with cords; by which means the leaves form an excellent covering, and an agreeable shade.

2. The foja is a native of Japan, where it is termed daifū; and, from its excellence, name; that is, "the legumen or pod," by way of eminence. It grows with an erect, slender, and hairy stalk, to the height of about four feet. The leaves are like those of the garden kidney-bean*. The flowers are of a bluish white, and produced from the bosom of the leaves, and succeeded by bristly hanging pods resembling those of the yellow lupine, which commonly contain two, sometimes three, large white seeds. There is a variety of this kind, with a small black fruit, which is used in medicine. Kempfer affirms, that the seeds of this when pounded and taken inwardly give relief in the asthma. This legumen is doubly useful in the Japanese kitchens. It serves for the preparation of a substance named miso, that is used as butter; and likewise a pickle celebrated among them under the name of fugu or fuyu. To make the first, they take a measure of name, or the beans produced by the plant; after boiling them for a considerable time in water, and to a proper degree of softness, they beat or bray them into a softish pulse; incorporating with it, by means of repeated braying, a large quantity of common salt, four measures in summer, in winter three. The less salt that is added, the substance is more palatable; but what it gains in point of taste, it loses in durability. They then add to this mixture a certain preparation of rice, to which they give the name of koos; and having formed the whole into a compost, remove it into a wooden vessel which had lately contained their common ale or beverage named jacki. In about two months it is fit for use. The koos gives it a grateful taste; and the preparing of it, like the polenta of the Germans, requires the skilful hand of an experienced master. For this reason there are certain people who make it their sole business to prepare the koos, and who sell it ready made for the purpose of making miso; a substance which cannot fail to be greatly valued in those countries where butter from the milk of animals is unknown. To make fooju or foy, they take equal quantities of the same beans boiled to a certain degree of softness; of muggi, that is corn, whether barley or wheat, roughly ground; and of common salt. Having properly mixed the beans with the pounded corn, they cover up the mixture, and keep it for a day and a night in a warm place, in order to ferment; then putting the mass into a pot, they cover it with the salt, pouring over the whole two measures and a half of water. This compound substance they carefully stir at least once a day, if twice or thrice the better, for two or three months: at the end of which time, they filtrate and express the mass, preserving the liquor in wooden vessels. The older it is, the better and the clearer; and if made of wheat instead of barley, greatly blacker. The first liquor being removed, they again pour water upon the remaining mass; which, after stirring for some days, as before, they express a second time, and thus obtain an inferior sort of foy.

3. The pruriens, or cow-itch, is also a native of warm climates. It hath a fibrous root, and an herbaceous climbing stalk, which is naked, dividing into a great number of branches; and rises to a great height when properly supported. The leaves are alternate and triborate, rising from the stem and branches about 12 inches distant from each other. The footstalk is cylindrical, from 6 to 14 inches long. From the axilla of the leaf descends a pendulous solitary spike, from 6 to 14 inches long, covered with long blood-coloured papilionaceous flowers, rising by threes in a double alternate manner from small fleshy protuberances, each of which is a short pedunculus of three flowers. These are succeeded by leguminous, coriaceous pods, four or five inches long, crooked like an Italic f, densely covered with sharp hairs, which penetrate the skin, and cause great itching. This will grow in any soil in those countries where it is a native: but is generally eradicated from all cultivated grounds; because the hairs from the pods fly with the winds, and torment every animal they happen to touch. If it was not for this mischievous quality, the beauty of its flowers would entitle it to a place in the best gardens. It flowers in the cool months, from September to March, according to the situation.—The spicule, or sharp-hairs, of this plant, have been long used in South America in cases of worms; and have of late been frequently employed in Britain. The spicule of one pod mixed with syrup or molasses, and taken in the morning fasting, is a dose for an adult. The worms are said to appear with the second or third dose; and by means of a purge in some cases the stools are said to have consisted almost entirely of worms; and in cases of lumbrici, it is said to produce a safe and effectual cure. Those who have used it most, particularly Dr Bancroft and Dr Cochran, affirm that they have never seen any inconvenience resulting from the internal use of it, notwithstanding the great uneasiness it occasions on the slightest touch to any part of the surface.