nearly all fertile. Flower buds obtuse. Flowers white, Varieties. H. a. 1 vulgaris Ser. in Dec. Prod., iv. p. 14.; H. vulgàris Michx. Fl. 106., 2. H. (A.) CORDATA Pursh. The cordate-leaved Hydrangea. Identification. Pursh Fl. Amer. Sept., 1. p. 309., exclusive of the synonyme of Michx.; Don's Mill 3. p. 232. Engravings. Wats. Dendr. Brit., t. 42. ; and our fig. 749. Spec. Char., &c. Leaves broadly ovate, acuminated, rather cordate at the base, coarsely toothed, glabrous beneath. Flowers all fertile. Flowers small, white, sweet-scented. (Don's Mill., iii. p. 232.) We agree with Torrey, in thinking this merely a variety of H. arboréscens. It is a native of Carolina, on the mountains, and on the banks of the Missouri, above St. Louis; where it forms a shrub, growing from 6 ft. to 8 ft. high. It was introduced in 1806, and flowers in July and August. H. georgica Lodd. Cat., ed. 1836, only differs from it in flowering a little later, and in being rather more robust. 3. H. NIVEA Michx. The snowy-leaved Hydrangea. Identification. Michx. Fl. Bor. Amer., 1. p. 268.; Don's Mill., 3. p. 232. H. n. 2 glabella Ser. in Dec. Prod., 4. p. 14.- Leaves nearly glabrous beneath. Flowers all fertile. This variety has, probably, originated in culture. 4. H. QUERCIFO'LIA Bartram. The Oak-leaved Hydrangea. Identification. Bartram Trav., ed. Germ., p. 336. t. 7., ex Willd. Sp., 2. t. 634.; Don's Mill., 3. p. 233. Synonyme. H. radiata Smith Icon. Pict., 12., but not of Walt. Spec. Char., &c. Leaves large, ovate, serrately lobed, and toothed, pilose be- 3 U3 Sepals of sterile flowers entire. corymbs large. (Don's Mill., iii. p. 233.) A native of Florida, growing from 4 ft. to 6 ft. high. It was introduced in 1803, and flowers from June to September. This is by far the most interesting of the North American hydrangeas, from its large, deeply lobed, and sinuated leaves; and its fine, large, nearly white corymbs of flowers," which are sterile, and appear from June till they are destroyed by frost. Culture as in the preceding species; but it is essential that the situation be sheltered, and the soil kept somewhat moist, otherwise the leaves are not perfectly developed, and the branches are apt to be broken off by high winds. Price of plants in the London nurseries, 2s. 6d. each. B. Species Natives of Asia. 5. H. HETEROMA LLA D. Don. The diverse-haired-leaved Hydrangea. Identification. D. Don Prod. Fl. Nep., p. 211.; Don's Mill., 3. p. 233. Spec. Char., &c. Leaves oval, acuminated, sharply serrated, tomentose beneath, 5 in. long, and nearly 3 in. broad. Corymbs supra-decompound, diffuse, pilose. Sepals of sterile flowers roundish-oval, quite entire. Flowers white. (Don's Mill., iii. p.233.) A native of Nepal, at Gosainthan; where it forms a shrub, growing from 4 ft. to 6 ft. high. Introduced in 1821. App. i. Half-hardy Species of Hydrangea. H. Hortensia Sieb., H hortensis Smith, Hortensia opulöldes Lam., H. speciosa Pers., Primula mutábilis Lour., Vibúrnum serratum and V. tomentosum Thunb., the Chinese Guelder Rose (Bot. Mag., t. 438; and our fig. 752.) is well known by its ample corymbs of snow-ball-like flowers, which are of a whitish green when they first appear, but which afterwards become of a fine rose-colour, and finally die off with a purplish tinge. It is called Temerihona (that is, the globe flower) by the Japanese, and Fun- Dan- Kwa by the Chinese. In Europe, it was named, by the celebrated Commerson, in honour of Madame Hortense Lapeaute, the wife of his most particular friend M. Lapeaute, a watchmaker. Commerson first named it Lapeaútia; but, in order that the compliment paid to Madame Lapeaute might be the more direct, he changed the name to that of Hortensia, from her Christian name, Hortense. The plant was afterwards discovered to be a species of Hydrangea, a genus previously established by Gronovius: but the name of Hortensia was retained as its specific appellation; and it is still the common name by which the plant is known in French gardens. In Britain, it is so hardy, that, in the neighbourhood of London, and in all mild situations not far distant from, and not much above the level of, the sea, it will stand as a bush in the open ground, dying down to the roots in severe winters, but springing up again with great luxuriance the following year; and, if the soil be rich, and kept moist, flowering freely during grea part of the summer. The hydrangea is said, in the Nouveau Du Hamel, to have been cultivated in the Isle of France, in 1789 or before; and it was brought to the Kew Garden, from China, in 1790, by Sir Joseph Banks. It soon became popular throughout England, and eminently so about Paris. The Culture of this kind of Hydrangea is remarkably easy; and the plant is particularly suitable for persons who have little else to do than attend to their garden, or their green-house; because it cannot receive too much water, and droops immediately if water has been withheld; reviving rapidly, when apparently almost dead, very soon after water has been given to it. Cuttings may be put in at any season; and, if this be done when the plant is in a growing state, they will root in a fortnight; and, if transplanted into rich moist soil, they will flower in a month. Few shrubby plants make a more magnificent appearance on a lawn; particularly when planted in peat or boggy soil, in a moist situation, partially shaded. To keep the plant in a vigorous state, none of the wood should ever be more than three years old; and there should, therefore, be a succession of two years' old shoots kept up, to supply the place of those which are cut out annually. Blue Hydrangeas. A remarkable circumstance in the culture of the hydrangea is, that, when it is placed in certain soils, the flowers, instead of being of the usual pink colour, become of a fine blue. This we have already noticed (p. 216.) as affording an example of what De Candolle calls a variation in plants, as contradistinguished from a variety; the latter being capable of being continued by propagation, but not the former. Various conjectures have been made as to the cause of this blue colour. The most general seem to be, that it is owing either to the presence of alum, or that of oxide of iron; but, nevertheless, watering the plant with alum, or chalybeate water, will not produce it in every soil, though it appears to do so in some. The flowers are sometimes blue in plants growing in loamy soil, and sometimes in those growing in peaty or boggy soil. In order to produce this colour, some have recommended steeping sheep's dung in the water given to the plant, and others mixing the soil in which it is grown with peat ashes, wood ashes, oxide of iron, nitre, alkali, or a little common salt. Neither science nor experience has hitherto, however, been able to determine positively the cause of this change of colour; and, of course, nothing but experiment in every particular case will decide what soil will produce it. About London, the most effectual are the loams of Hampstead and Stanmore Heaths, and the peat of Wimbledon Common. About Edinburgh, the soil found in the surrounding bogs; and about Berlin and Petersburg, also, bog earth has been found to produce this colour in the hydrangea. Statistics. There are various instances of large hydrangeas growing in the open air recorded in the Gardener's Magazine. One at Sydenham, in Devonshire, has had 1000 heads of flowers expanded on it at one time. One at Redruth, in Cornwall, is described as being as big as a large haycock. In Pembrokeshire, at Amroth Castle, a plant, 33 ft. in circumference, and 6 ft. high, has had 832 heads of flowers expanded on it at once. In Sussex, at Ashburnham Place, a plant, 30 ft. in circumference, and 5 ft. high, produced 1072 heads of flowers in one season. In Scotland, in Argyllshire, at Lochiel House, a large plant furnished from 600 to 700 flowers, all fully expanded at the same time. At St. Mary's Isle, in the Stewartry of Kircudbright, a plant, 32 ft. in circumference, produced 525 heads of flowers; and one in Fifeshire, at Dysart House, 40 ft. in circumference, and 6 ft. high, produced 605 flowers. Plants, in the London nurseries, are from 6d. to 1s. each; at Bollwyller, 2 francs, and the blue from 3 to 6 francs; at New York, 50 cents. Several other Species of Hydrangea, natives of Japan and Nepal, are described in Don's Miller, iii. p. 233.; but none of them, as far as we know, have been introduced. H. vestita Wall., a native of the mountains of Nepal, with large white flowers, and leaves downy beneath, would be a desirable introduction; and is, probably, the garden hydrangea of China in a wild state. H. altissima Wall., according to Mr. Royle, climbs lofty trees: but this circumstance, in our opinion, ought to separate it from this genus, however much it may resemble it in its flowers. CHAP. LVIII. OF THE HARDY AND HALF-HARDY LIGNEOUS PLANTS OF THE ORDER UMBELLA CEÆ. THERE are very few plants belonging to this order that are truly ligneous, and of these the only hardy species which it contains are comprised in the genus Bupleurum, GENUS I. BUPLEU RUM Tourn. THE Bupleurum, or HARE'S EAR. Lin. Syst. Identification. Tourn. Inst., 309. t. 163.; Lin. Gen., 328.; Dec. Prod., 4. p. 127.; Don's Mill., 3. p. 296. Synonymes. Tenòria and Bupréstis Spreng. Syst., 1. p. 880.; Bupliore, or Oreille de Lièvre Fr.; Hasenöhrlein, Ger. Derivation. From bous, an ox, and pleuron, a side; from the supposed quality of swelling cattle that feed on some of the species of the genus. The name of Hare's Ear, which is preserved in the French and German, has reference to the shape of the leaves. Gen. Char. Margin of the calyx obsolete. Petals roundish, entire, strictly involute, with a broad retuse point. Fruit compressed from the sides. Seed teretely convex, flattish in front. (Don's Mill., iii. p. 296.)— Smooth shrubs, evergreen, or subevergreen. Natives of Europe and Africa, and some of Asia; but none of them growing higher than 5 ft. or 6 ft. Only one hardy species is in cultivation in British gardens. 1. B. FRUTICO'SUM L. The shrubby Bupleurum, or Hare's Ear. Identification. Lin. Sp., 343.; Don's Mill., 3. p. 301.; Lodd. Cat., ed. 1836 Synonymes. Tendria fruticosa Spreng. in Schultes Syst., 6. p. 376.; Bupréstis fruticosa Spreng. Mag.; Séseli æthiopicum Bauh. Pin., 161.; Séseli frutex Mor. Umb., 16. Engravings. Sibth. Fl. Græc., t. 263.; Wats. Dendr. Brit., t. 14; Du Ham. Arb., 1. t. 43.; Jaune Pl. Tr., 1. t. 65.; Mill. Icon., t. 74. ; and our fig. 753. Spec. Char., &c. Shrubby, erect, branched. Leaves oblong, attenuated at the base, coriaceous, 1-nerved, quite entire, sessile. Leaves of involucre oblong. Ribs of fruit elevated, acute. Vittæ broad. Bark of branches purplish. Leaves of a sea-green colour. (Don's Mill., iii. p. 301.) A native of Portugal, Spain, the south of France, about Nice, Corsica, Sicily, Mauritania, and Thessaly. It is a shrub, growing 3 ft. or 4 ft. high in a wild state, and sometimes to the height of 6 ft. in British gardens. Introduced in 1596, and flowering in July and August. It is readily propagated by cuttings, and is of free growth in any dry calcareous soil. The blue glaucous hue of its smooth shining foliage renders it a desirable addition to every collection. If planted in an open airy situation, in a deep soil, not moist, and allowed to extend itself on every side, it would soon form a large hemispherical bush, highly ornamental during winter from its evergreen foliage, and during July and August from its bright yellow flowers. Plants, in the London nurseries, are 1s. 6d. each. App. i. Half-hardy Species of the Genus Bupleurum. B. gibraltárica Lam., B. coriaceum L'Hérit., B. obliquum Vahl, B. arboréscens Jacq., Tendria coriacea Spreng, B. verticale Ort., is a smooth evergreen shrub, with coriaceous glaucous leaves, fragrant when bruised. It is a native of Gibraltar, on rocks; was introduced in 1784, and grows to the height of 3 ft., flowering from June to August. It is nearly as hardy as the common species. B. plantagineum Desf., Tenoria plantaginea Spreng., is a native of Mount Atlas, with mucronate, stiff, coriaceous, sessile leaves. It was introduced in 1810, and grows to the height of 2 ft. or 3 ft., flowering in August. B. canescens Schousb. is a native of Mogador, with oblong membraneous leaves. It was intro duced in 1809, and grows to the height of 2 ft. or 3 ft., flowering in August or September. B. fruticescens L. is a native of Spain and the north of Africa; but, it is hardly worth cultivation as a shrub. It was introduced into British gardens in 1752, but is rarely to be met with. CHAP. LIX. OF THE HARDY AND HALF-HARDY LIGNEOUS PLANTS OF THE ORDER ARALIA CEA. THE genera belonging to this order, which contain ligneous plants, are Aràlia and Hédera; and their characteristics will be found stated shortly below. ARA LIA L. Margin of the calyx very short, entire, or toothed. Petals 5, free, and expanded at the apex. Stamens 5. Styles 5, expanded, spreading divaricately. Berry 5-celled, usually torose. (Don's Mill., iii. p. 388., adapted.) The only species not herbaceous is a fruticose deciduousleaved plant, assuming the character of a tree. HE'DERA Swartz. Margin of the calyx elevated or toothed. Petals 5-10, not cohering at the apex. Stamens 5-10. Styles 5-10, conniving, or joined in one. Berry 5-10-celled. (Don's Mill., iii. p. 391.)- The only hardy species is a climbing evergreen shrub. GENUS I. ARALIA L. THE ARALIA, or ANGELICA TREE. Lin. Syst. Pentándria Pentagýnia. Identification. D. Don Prod. FI. Nep., p. 185., in a note; Dec. Prod., 4. p. 257.; Don's Mill., 3. p. Synonymes. Aràlia sp. Lin.; Araliæ vèræ Blum. 388. Derivation. According to some, from ara, annoyance, the spines being very troublesome, in its native country, to travellers; but, according to others, a name of unknown meaning, under which one species was sent to Fagon, at Paris, from Quebec, in 1764, by one Sarrazin, a French physician. Description. A shrub, with a single stem, having the habit of a tree; and bearing large compositely divided leaves, peculiar in character among shrubs, and very interesting. 1. A. SPINO'SA L. The spiny Aralia, or Angelica Tree. Identification. Lin. Sp., p. 392.; Don's Mill., 3. p. 389.; Lodd. Cat., ed. 1836. Synonymes. Aralie, Fr. and Ger.; Spikenard, N. Amer. Engravings. Schmidt Arb., t. 102. and t. 103.; Wats. Dend. Brit., t. 116. ; and our fig. 754. Spec. Char., &c. Stem arboreous and prickly. Leaves doubly and trebly pinnate. Leaflets ovate, acuminated, and deeply serrated. branched, beset with velvety stellate down. Umbels numerous. Involucre small, of few leaves. Petals white and reflexed. Styles 5, divaricate, arched. Fruit 5-ribbed. (Don's Mill., iii. p. 389.) A tree, growing to the height of 10 ft. or 12 ft., with a single erect stem; a native of Carolina and Virginia, in low, fertile, moist woo is. Panicle much Introduced in 1688; and flowering in August and September. An infusion of the fruit, in wine or spirits, is considered an effectual cure for the rheumatism. In British gardens, this species is propagated by cuttings of the roots; and, from its large doubly and trebly pinnate leaves, it forms a singularly ornamental plant, with a spreading, umbrella-like head, when standing singly on a lawn. After the plant flowers, the stem commonly dies down to the ground, like that of the raspberry, and like it, is succeeded by suckers. Pursh" mentions a variety in which the petioles of the leaves are without prickles." It is found in South Carolina, near Charleston. There are some other suffruticose species of Aràlia, hardy or half-hardy, natives of North or South America, such as A. hispida, Bot. Cab. t. 1306., which are barely shrubby; and some shrubby species, natives of Japan, Cochin-China, or New Zealand, which are not yet sufficiently known, and have not been introduced. GENUS II. HE'DERA Swartz. THE IVY. Lin. Syst. Pent-Decándria, and Pent Decagýnia. Identification. Swartz Fl. Ind. Occ., p. 581.; D. Don Prod. Nep., p. 186.; Dec. Prod., 4. p. 261.; Don's Mill., 3. p. 391. Synonymes. Aràlia, sect. Gymnopterum Blum. Bijdr., p. 871.; Hédera, and Aràlia sp. Lin.; Lierre, Fr.; Ephen, Ger. Derivation. Various etymologies have been proposed for the word Hédera; but the most probable supposition appears to be, that it is derived from the Celtic word hedira, a cord. The English word Ivy is derived from the Celtic word, iw, green. Description. The hardy sorts are evergreen shrubs, climbing by the clasping roots produced by their stems; but there are a number of species considered at present to be of this genus, natives of warm climates, growing to the height of from 15 ft. to 20 ft. without support. |