348 



A 



I 



THIS is a large tree, and ufually fends off many flrong fpreadir 

 inches, covered with a greyifh bark : the leaves are large, pinnated 

 compofed of feveral pairs of oppofite pinnae, with an odd one at thi 

 d ; they are oval, entire, nerved, veined, pointed, of a pale green 





} 



colour, and ftand upon fhort footftalks : the flowers are male and 

 female upon the fame tree, appearing in April and May, and the 

 fruit ripens about the end of September : the male flowers are placed 

 in a clofe cylindrical catkin : the calyx is monophyilous and fquamous : 

 the corolla is divided into fix oval petals : the filaments are numerous, 

 (about eighteen) fhort, and furnifhed with ered: pointed antheras : the 

 female flowers are generally three together ; the calyx is divided into 

 four fegments, which are eredt, fhort, evanefcent, and fland upon the 

 germen : the corolla is feparated into four fegments, which are pointed, 

 ered:, and longer than the calyx : the germen is oval, and placed 

 below the corolla : the two flyles are very fhort: the fligmata are 



irge, expanding, reflexed, and indented : the fruit is of the drupous 

 ind, large, unilocular, containing a large roundifli nut, which is too 



well known to require a defcription here. 



This tree, which is a native of Perfia, has been long cultivated in 

 this country, and bears our winters very well. Linnaeus defcribes its 

 leaves as fomewhat ferrated ; but this we have never obferved, and 

 therefore with Haller would rather fubflitute the word integerrimis 

 for fubferratis. The wood is of a dark colour, and beautifully varie- 

 ated, efpecially that of the root, and by being hard enough to admit 

 of polifhing, w^as much ufed by Cabinet-makers before the introdudion 

 of mahogany. 



The unripe fruit,^ which has an aflringent bitterifli tafle, and has been 

 long ufed as a pickle, is the part direded for medicinal ufe by the 

 London College, on account of its anthelmintic virtues. Its effeds 

 in deflroying worms feem confirmed by the teftimony of feveral 

 authors :'' and in proof of its pofleiling this vermifuge power,we are told 



We may notice for curiofity a notion which formerly prevailed : Ut nuces in proxi- 

 mum annum copiofius proveniant, mos eft hodie apud rufticos quofdam^ut nuces pcrtiCiS 

 decutiantur. Hinc non inconcinne quidam alludendo cecinit. 



N11X5 afinuSj mulier fimili funt lege ligata ; 



Hsec tria nil fru6lus fiiciunt, fi verbera cefTant. Vide Ray^ A c. 



r 

 J 



»> Plater, Fifcher, Andry, and others. 



that 



