SOUTH AMERICAN PLANTS. 121 



above comprehended in this one, I cannot discover any character 

 that can possibly separate them, except such small variations in 

 the shape of the leaves as we frequently meet with in the same 

 specimen : in the length and number of the peduncles, the form 

 of the calyx, the structure of the corolla, and especially of the 

 stamens, and in the size, shape, and colour of the fruit, they 

 closely resemble one another; under such circumstances it ap- 

 pears to me desirable to unite them all under one common spe- 

 cific character. The observation of M. Dunal almost confirms 

 this, for he states that this species has in all likelihood been in- 

 troduced into Europe from the East, which is rendered more 

 probable from the record of its being used from the earliest 

 periods by the Persians, Greeks, and Romans for ornamental 

 hedgings. In favourable positions the leaves often attain a size 

 of 2^ inches in length, including the petiole, and 1^ inch in 

 breadth ; the peduncles are 4 to 6 lines long, the calyx 2 lines, 

 the tube of the corolla 3 lines, the segments of the border 2^ 

 lines, and the stamens extending beyond the mouth of the tube 

 2^ lines ; the berry is from 5 to 8 lines long and 4 lines broad. 

 Intermediate with the globular fascicles upon the stamens, an 

 equal number of tufts of hair are seen on the tube of the 

 corolla, upon the central nervure that runs from the apex of each 

 segment to the base : an excellent analysis of the flower is given 

 in Nees^ Flor, Germ, Several varieties, cultivated by gardeners 

 under the names of X. ovatum, Trewianum, carnosum^ latifolium, 

 &c., may be referred here*. 



Kramsi 



CB.S- 



Of this species I am unable to form an opinion, not having 



M 



descrip 



valid species, and asks whether it may be only a variety of L. 

 cinereunij Thunb. 



45. Lycium rigiduMy Thunb. Prodr. 37; Linn. Trans, ix. 152, 

 tab. 14; Dunal in DC. Prodr. xiii. 522.— C.B.S. 



I have not met with any specimen that corresponds with this 

 plant of Thunberg, although M. Dunal describes a specimen from 

 the collection of M. Drege : I infer from that description that it 

 must belong to this section. It is evident however that many 

 Cape plants that have been referred to this species do not belong 

 to it : for instance, the variety 7. angustifolium of M. Dunal {loc. 

 cit. p. 523), from Drege's collection, sub mm. L. ripdum.^^nd 

 which I find also under this name in Sir. W. Hooker's herbarium, 



* This species with sectional details is given in plate 70 B. 



VOL. II. ^ 



