S. betaceum Cav., Bot. Rep., t. 411., is a native of South America, from which country it was introduced into Britain in 1803. It forms a splendid shrub, 10 ft. or 12 ft. high, and produces egg-shaped fruit, of a deep crimson colour. The fruit are about the size and shape of magnum bonum plums, and hang down in clusters of three or four together. (Gard. Mag., vol. ii. p. 105.) A plant of this species in the Cambridge Botanic Garden, in 1816, produced leaves nearly a foot in length, and half a foot in breadth; giving out, when handled, an odour resembling that of the bruised wood of S. Dulcamara. This species resembles, in its free habit of growth, Brugmansia suaveolens; and it is observed by a correspondent 1107 of the Gardener's Magazine, that it is likely to thrive and flower under the same treatment as that plant. The same writer adds, "did the plants of S. betaceum, when planted out, produce only a copious clothing of such leaves, they would, in themselves, be striking, and impart an additional tropical feature to the British flower-garden." (Ibid., p. 155.) The plants of this species in the Bristol Nursery are said to be somewhat different from that figured in the Botanical Repository. (Ibid., p. 269.) S. angulatum R. et S., Dun. Sol, 2. 95. t. 1., is a native of Lima, introduced in 1825. It has large angulated prickly leaves, with purple veins and petioles. Preserved through the winter in a stove, and turned out in the spring, it makes a splendid appearance in the flower border. §. marginatum W., Bot. Mag., t. 1928., is a native of Africa, and forms an evergreen shrub, 4 ft. or 5 ft. high., striking from the mealy whiteness of its leaves. S. Pseudo-Capsicum L., Capsicum Amòmum Plinii Gerard, is a native of Madeira, an old inhabitant of our green-houses. It grows 4 ft. or 5 ft. high, and produces red, or yellowish fruit, about the size of cherries. Gerard says, “it is a rare and pleasant plant, kept in pots and tubs in green-houses during the extremity of winter, and set abroad in March and April." S. sodomcum L., the apple of Sodom, is a native of different parts of Africa, and also of Sicily, and the south of Italy. It is a shrub, with numerous short and thick branches, armed with many spines. The leaves are above 4 in. long, and 2 in. broad, The flowers are blue, and the berries yellow, as large as walnuts. It abounds, along with Spártium infestum Prest, on the coast of Calabria, and at the foot of Mount Etna. (Comp. Bot. Mag., 1. p. 95.) S. ligustrinum Lodd. Bot. Cab., t. 1963., and our fig. 1107., is a native of Chili, introduced by Mr. Cumming in 1831, and flowering in a sheltered border from May to September. It is a free-growing shrub, readily propagated by cuttings; and judging from the plant in the Chelsea Botanic Garden, from which our figure was taken, we should think it tolerably hardy, GENUS II. LY'CIUM L. THE BOX THORN. Lin. Syst. Pentándria Monogýnia. Identification. Lin. Gen., 1262.; Lam. Ill., t. 112.; H. B. et Kunth Nov. Gen. Amer., 3. p. 50.; Lindl. Nat. Syst. Bot., 2d edit., p. 295.; Don's Mill., 4. p. 457. Synonymes. Jasminöldes Niss. in Act. Gall., 1711, Mich. Gen., 224. t. 105.; Matrimony Vine, Amer.; Lycien, Fr.; Bocksdorn, Ger. One species, L. bârbarum, is commonly called the Duke of Argyll's tea tree, from the circumstance of a tea plant (Thea viridis) having been sent to the Duke of Argyll at the same time as this plant, and the labels having been accidentally changed. Derivation. Derived from Lycia, in Asia Minor; hence the lukion of Dioscorides; a name given by him to a thorny shrub, which was supposed by Dr. Sibthorp to have been the Rhamnus infectòrius, but which Mr. Royle, with greater probability, regards as identical with a species of Berberis, which he has denominated Berberis Lycium. Description, &c. Thorny rambling shrubs, in general producing long slender shoots, and assuming the character of climbers. Natives of Europe, Asia, Africa, and America. Hedges may be formed of the first nine sorts. 1. L. EUROPE'UM L. The European Box Thorn. Identification. Lin. Syst., 228.; Mant., p. 47.; Willd. Enum., 1. p. 246.; Sibth. et Smith Fl. Græc., t. 236.; Don's Mill., 4. p. 458.; Lodd. Cat., ed. 1836. Synonymes. L. salicifolium Mill. Dict., No. 3., Mich. Gen., p. 224. t. 105. f. 1., Mill. Icon., t. 171. f. 2.; Jasminöldes aculeatum Mich. Engravings. Mich. Gen., t. 105. f. 1.; Mill. Icon., t. 171. f. 2.; and our fig. 1108. Spec. Char., &c. Branches erect, loose.. Buds spinescent. Leaves fascicled, obovate-lanceolate, obtuse, or spathulate, bent obliquely. Flowers twin or solitary. Corolla funnel-shaped. Stamens exserted, but shorter than the limb. Calyx 5-cleft, ruptured at the side. Corollas pale violet, reticulated with red veins; tube greenish. (Don's Mill., iv. p. 458.) A rambling 1108 shrub, with long slender shoots, and prone to throw up innumerable suckers; a native of the south of Europe, where it grows to the height of from 10 ft. to 12 ft.; flowering from May till August. It was introduced in 1730, and is common in British gardens; where it 's valuable for covering naked walls, as it grows with extreme rapidity, and flowers and fruits freely, in almost any soil or situation. Established plants, in good soil, will make shoots 10 ft. or 12 ft. in length in one season; and the plant, when trained against a house or high wall, will reach the height of 30t. or 40 ft., as may be seen in some courts in Paris. Trained to a strong iron rod, to the height of 20 ft. or 30 ft., and then allowed to spread over an umbrella head, it would make a splendid bower. Its shoots would hang down to the ground, and form a complete screen on every side, ornamented from top to bottom with ripe fruit, which is large, and bright scarlet or yellow; with unripe fruit, which is of a lurid purple; or with blossoms, which are purple and white. Some idea of the quantity of ripe and unripe fruit, and of blossoms, which may be found on a shoot at one time, may be formed from fig. 1108., which is only a portion of a shoot, the upper part of which (not exhibited in the figure) contained two or three dozen of fruit, all ripe at once. If it were required to open the sides of a bower covered with this plant, the shoots could be tied together so as to form columns, at regular distances all round: but they must be untied in an hour or two afterwards, to prevent the shoots in the interior of the column from being heated so as to cause them to drop their leaves and fruit. Price of plants, in the London nurseries, from 6d. to 1s. each; at Bollwyller, 30 cents; and at New York, 37 cents. Varieties. There is a variety with yellow fruit, and another with the fruit roundish; and, in our opinion, L. bárbarum, chinénse, ruthénicum, Sháwi, and Trewianum, all which we have seen in Loddiges's arboretum; and, probably, other sorts which we have not seen, are nothing more than variations of the same form. Identification. Lin. Sp., 277.; Willd. Sp., 4. Synonymes. L. halimifolium Mill. Dict., No. Spec. Char., &c. Branches depend- 1109 ent. Buds spiny. Leaves lanceolate, flat, glabrous, acute. Flowers twin, extra-axillary, pedicellate. Corolla funnel-shaped. Stamens exserted, about equal in length to the limb. Branches angular. Buds often without spines. Calyx 2-3-lobed. Corolla with a purple limb, and yellowish base. Stigma 2-lobed. Berry ovate, yellow. Stamens bearded near the base. There is a variety of this, having livid or pale corollas, and reddish yellow berries. (Don's Mill., iv. p. 458.) A climbing shrub, a native of the north of Asia, Africa, and south of Europe; where it flowers from May till August. It was introduced in 1696; and what has been said respecting L. europaeum is equally applicable to this sort, which, we think, may, without any hesitation, be pronounced only a variety of it. * 3. L. (E.) CHINE'NSE Mill. The Chinese Box Thorn. Identification. Mill. Dict., No. 5.; Bunge in Mem. Acad. Petersb., 2. p. 123.; Don's Mill., 4. p. 458. Synonymes. L. bárbarum & chínénse Ait. Hort. Kew., 1. p. 257.; L. bárbarum Lour. Coch., 1. p. 165.?; L. ovàtum N. Du Ham., 1. p. 107. Engravings. Lam. Ill., t. 112. f. 2.; Wats. Dend. Brit., t. 8.; and our fig. 1110. from the N. Du Ham., and fig. 1111. from, we think, a specimen in the Horticultural Society's Garden. Spec. Char., &c. Branches pendulous, prostrate, striated. Buds spinescent. Leaves by threes, ovate, acute, attenuated at the base. Peduncles much longer than the calyx, which is entire. Stamens exserted. Said by Bunge to be nearly allied to L. ruthénicum; but differs in the leaves being broadovate. Corollas purple. Berries orange-coloured. Shoots very long (ex Mill.). We know not whether the plants described by Miller and by Bunge are the same: the plant here meant is that of Bunge. (Don's Mill., iv. p. 458.) A climbing shrub, a native of China, about Pekin and Canton; and of CochinChina; where it flowers from May till August. It is uncertain when it was introduced; but there are plants in the Horticultural Society's Garden, and in the arboretum of Messrs. Loddiges; and the chief difference between it and L. europæ`um is, that it is a smaller, weaker plant. 4. L. (E.) TREWIANUM G. Don. Trew's Box Thorn. Identification. Don's Mill., 4. p. 458.; Lodd. Cat., ed. 1836. 1111 Synonyme. L. bárbarum Lam. Dict., 3. p. 509., ex Poir. Suppl., 3. p. 427., Trew Ehret., t. 68., exclusive of the synonymes'; L. chinense N. Du Ham., 1. p. 116., Pers. Ench., 1. p. 231. No. 9. Engraving. N. Du Ham., t. 30. Spec. Char., &c. Branches diffuse, angular. Buds spinose. Leaves petiolate, lanceolate, acute. Peduncles 1-flowered, solitary, or twin, extra-axillary. Calyx 2-3-cleft. Corolla funnel-shaped. Stamens exserted. This species differs from L. chinénse Mill. in the spines, and from L. bárbarum in the leaves. Branches rufescent. Spines few. Corolla fine purple, with a white star in the centre. Filaments pilose at the base. Berry ovate. (Don's Mill., iv. p. 458.) A shrub, a native of China, where it grows 6 ft. high, flowering from May till August. It was introduced in 1818; and, judging from the plants in the Hackney arboretum, is scarcely, if at all, different from L. europæ'um. 5. L. (E.) RUTHENICUM Murr. The Russian Box Thorn. Identification. Murr. Comm. Goett., 1779, p. 2. t. 2.; Bieb. Fl. Taur. Cauc., 1. p. 166.; Don's Mill., 4. p. 458.; Lodd. Cat., ed. 1836. Synonymes. L. tatáricum Pall. Fl. Ross., 1. p. 78. t. 49.; Lycien de la Russie, Fr. Variety. L. r. 2 cáspicum Pall. Fl. Ross., t. 49. f. A.- 1112 6. L. (E.) LANCEOLA TUM Poir. The lanceolate-leaved Box Thorn. Identification. Poir. Suppl., 3. p. 429.; Don's Mill., 4. p. 458. Synonyme. L. europæ'um 8 Dec. Fl. Fr.. No. 2699., Pers. Ench., 1. p. 231. No. 8., N. Du Ham., 1. p. 123. t. 32., Loud. Hort. Brit., ed. 1829. Engraving. N. Du Ham., t. 32. Spec. Char., &c. Branches dependent, reflexed. Buds spinescent. Leaves lanceolate, nearly sessile, acute at both ends. Flowers solitary, extra-axillary, pedicellate. Corolla funnel-shaped. Stamens exserted. Calyx unequally 5-toothed. Corolla purple, with a white bottom. Berry oblong, red. (Don's Mill., iv. p. 458.) A climbing shrub, a native of the south of Europe, particularly of Naples, Greece, &c. ; where it flowers from May till August. When it was introduced is uncertain, and we have never seen the plant. 7. L. (? E.) TURBINA TUM Du Ham. The turbinate-fruited Box Thorn. Identification. N. Du Ham., 1. p. 119. t. 31.; Pers. Ench., 1. p. 231., exclusive of the synonyme of Lam., No. 3.; Don's Mill., 4. p. 458. Synonymes. L. halimifolium Mill. Dict., No. 6. ?; L. bárbarum 8 Dec. Fl. Fr., No. 2700. Engravings. N. Du Ham., t. $1.; and our fig. 1113. Spec. Char., &c. Stems erect, fascicled. Branchlets dependent, terete. Buds spiny. Leaves sessile, lanceolate, acuminated. Flowers aggregate, pe. dicellate, extra-axillary. Corolla funnel-shaped. Stamens exserted. Calyx trifid. Berry red, and turbinate. Corolla violaceous, with a white bottom. (Don's Mill., iv. p. 458.) It is a climbing shrub, a native of China, where it flowers from May till August. It was introduced in 1709; but we have not seen the plant. Though we consider many of the sorts of this genus, which are described as species, as only different varieties, it does not follow from that circumstance that each sort may not be tolerably distinct. Wherever plants are raised in great numbers from seed, it is easy to pick out from among the seedlings many different varieties, which, if propagated by extension, will remain distinct till the end of time. We must confess, however, that we know of very few genera of ligneous plants, indeed, where so many of the different alleged species so very closely resemble each other, as in Lycium. We have no doubt that by taking a dozen plants of any one of the kinds, from numbers 1 to 9 inclusive, and placing them in a dozen different climates, soils, and situations, we should have a dozen sorts, as well entitled to be considered as species, as most of those which are here described as such. 8. L. (?E.) TETRA'NDRUM Thunb. The tetrandrous-flowered Box Thorn. Identification. Thunb. Prod., p. 37.; Lin, Suppl., 150.; Thunb. in Lin. Trans., 9. p. 154. t. 15.; Don's Mill., 4. p. 460. Engraving. Lin. Trans., 9. t. 15. Spec. Char., &c. Spiny, erect. Branches angular, straight. Leaves fascicled, ovate, obtuse. Flowers nearly sessile. Corollas quadrifid, tetrandrous. Stem twisted, glabrous, angular, grey, stiff. Branches horizontal, spiny. Leaves a line long. Flowers solitary, rising from the fascicles of leaves on short pedicels. Very like L. àfrum, but is distinguished from that species in the leaves being more fleshy, and in the flowers being tetramerous and tetrandrous. It is also, perhaps, the L. capense of Mill. Dict., No. 7., of which the following description is given:-"Leaves oblongovate, thickish, crowded. Spines strong, leafy. Leaves scattered, selitary, or fascicled, thick, pale green, permanent." (Don's Mill., iv. p. 460.) A shrub, a native of the Cape of Good Hope, about Cape Town; where it grows to the height of 6 ft. or 7 ft., flowering in June and July. It was introduced in 1810; but we have not seen the plant. 19. L. (?E.) SHA'WI Rom. Shaw's Box Thorn. Identification. Rom. et Schultes Syst., 4. p. 693.; Don's Mill., 4. p. 458. Synonyme. L. europæum Mill. Dict., No. 4., Shaw Afr., p. 349. f. 349. Spec. Char., &c. Branches dependent, rather tomentose at the apex. Buds spinescent. Leaves ovate-lanceolate, thickish. Branches scattered. Prickles strong. Leaves short, thick, scattered. Flowers lateral, small, white. (Don's Mill., iv. p. 458.) A shrub, a native of Barbary, where it grows 7 ft. or 8 ft. high; flowering in June and July. It was introduced in 1700. 10. L. A FRUM L. The African Box Thorn. Identification. Lin. Sp., 277.; Don's Mill., 4. p. 459. Engravings. Mill, Icon., t. 171. f. 1.; Swt. Fl. Gard., 2d ser. t. 324.; Bot. Reg., t. 354; Lam. Ill., 112. f. L.; N. Du Ham., 1. p. 107-110.; Trew Ehret, 4. t. 24. f. 2.; Plenck Icon., t. 127.; Mich. Gen., p. 224. t. 105. f. 2.; Nis. Act. Par., 1711., p. 420. t. 12.; and our figs. 1114. and 1115. Spec. Char., &c. Erect, spiny. Leaves fascicled, linear, canescent, attenuated at the base, obtuse, fleshy. Flowers almost axillary, solitary, drooping. Corola tubular, 3 times longer than the calyx. Stamens enclosed. Bark 1114 grey-coloured; the smaller branches frequently spiny. Leaves 1115 It is readily distinguished from all the other sorts by its dark blue or black fruit. Belon, in speaking of the plain of Jericho, and of the banks of the river Jordan, says, the bushes which bear the lycion grow in this plain; and we find in the Bible (Genesis, chap. 1. v. 10, 11.), that the Children of Israel, in their journey from the land of Goshen to Canaan, came to the threshing-floor of Atadad; that is, in Hebrew, lycium; the plant being cultivated there for its berries, which were used in medicine as a purgative, known to the ancients by the name of lucion, and the mode of preparing which is indicated by Dioscorides. It is, however, doubtful, whether the berries of Rhámnus saxátilis, which are known to be cathartic, are not confounded with those of the Lycium in this passage. Lýcium àfrum is one of the most ornamental species of the genus; and, though rather tender, it well deserves a place in every collection, against a wall. Plants, in the London nurseries, 2s. 6d. each. L. ovatum Hort. There are plants bearing this name in the Horticultural Society's Garden, and at Messrs. Loddiges's. L. spathulatum Hort. There is a plant bearing this name in the Horticultural Society's Garden against the wall. GENUS III. GRABOWSKIA Schlecht. THE GRABOWSKIA. Lin. Syst. Pentándria Monogýnia. Identification. Schlecht. in Linnæa, 7. p. 72.; Lindl. in Bot. Reg. Synonymes. Lycium sp. Lin.; Ehretia sp. L'Hérit.; Crabówskia Don's Mill., 4. p. 480. Description, &c. A shrub, with the habit of the genuine species of Lycium, much branched, furnished with axillary spines. Leaves scattered, quite entire. Flowers from fascicles of leaves, or the revolute branchlets; or subcorymbose from the tops of the branchlets: hence, they appear as if they were panicled at the tops of the branches. (Don's Mill., iv. p. 480.) |