346 



CITRUS Aurantium; y. myrtifolia. 

 Myrtle-leaved Orange-tree. 



POLTADELPHIA POLYANDRIA. 



Nat. ord. Aurantia. Jussieu gen. 259. Div. II. Fructus polysper 

 mus baccatus. Foiia punctata. Aurantia vera. 

 CITR US. SuprH vol. S.fol. 21 1 . 



C. Aurantium, pctiolis alutis, folns acuminatis, cauie arboreo. Thunh, /op. 



293. "^ ^ 



Citrus Aurantium. Lin. sp.pt. ed. 2. 2. 1100. miid. sp.pl. 3. 1427. Uort. 



Kew.^. lOl.erf. 2. 4.. 420. 

 (a) Malus Aurantia major. Bank.pin.^^. 

 ($) Malus Aurantia, cortice duici eduli. Bank. pin. 436. 

 (v) Citrus vulgaris myrtifolia fructu pumilo, meduIU acri ct amarL Risso 



in ann. du mnsmm. 20. 169. 

 Citrus aurantium indicura caule et fructu pumilo, myrtifoHum. Gales, citr. 



«". 22. 134. 

 Citrus sinensis. {Frutex parvus foliis myrti.) Persoon syn. 2. 74; (vix (amen 



^ynonymonvn printer Jbrsan Milleri). 

 Aurantium myiteis foliis Sinense. Ferr. hesp. 430. t. 433. 



In the Synopsis Plantarnm of Persoon, we find our plant 

 separated from Aurantium as a species; but without the 

 statement of any distinction wJiich was not known to every 

 botanist, or the pretence of experience. We believe the alter- 

 ation to be purely empirical. The plant has been known in 

 most of the European collections for at least a century. It 

 was familiar to the learned and sagacious editoi-s of tlie 

 Hortns Kewensis, as well as to Mr. Aiton, the late intel- 

 ligent superintendent of the establishment wliich gave rise 

 to that classic work, but has never before been recorded 

 as distinct from Aurantiumi and until we have proof of its 

 being so, it seems safer to let it remain the variety it has 

 been usually deemed. 



In two very recent treatises on the genus, cited in tiie 

 above synonymy, our plant is always spoken of as an uii- 

 doubted variety of the Common Orange. In one of them it 

 is described as a subvariety of the variety known by the 

 name of the Dwarf Orange, differing from that in havmg 

 the leaves more pointed. It is chiefly cultivated for orna- 

 ment or curiosity. Tlie Cnnvsjaponica or Japan Orange- 

 shrub, is described with leaves and fruit no bigger than tliat 



