(Greek, a leather covering). Syn. Deguelia. Leguminosae. Tropical, tall woody climbers (sometimes trees), one of which has been offered in S. Calif., but is now apparently out of cult, there. Leaves alternate; Ifts. opposite, the odd one distant; stipules none: flowers violet, purple or white, never yellow, in racemes or panicles or fascicles, papilionaceous, standard broad and rounded; wings oblique: pod indehiscent; 1- to several-seeded. - About 40 species, of little horticultural significance.

Scandens

Benth. Climbing: Ifts. 9-18, 1-2 in. long, oblong, obtuse, or acute, glabrous or minutely pilose beneath: flowers pale rose, in very long racemes: pod long, lanceolate, acute at both ends, narrowly winged at the base; ovules 6-8. S. Asia and Indian Archipelago to Austral. - It has been offered in this country, but has not been successfully cultivation.

D. alborubra, Hemsl., from China, has been flowered at Kew in the palm house "where it covered some square yards of the roof:" flowers white, fragrant, with red calyx, in long panicles: Ifts. coriaceous, glabrous, ovate-oblong: a climbing evergreen shrub: once confused with D. Fordii, Oliver. B.M. 8008. L H B