Genus ROBINIA, Linn. 



Leguminaceae. Diadelphia Decandria. 



^'y.'. Nat. ii'j^at. Lin. 



Synonymes. 

 Rohinia, ^schynomene, Pseudacacia, Of Authors. 



Dfrivations. The genus Robinia was named in honour of Jean Robin, a French botanist, once herbalist to Hcniy IV., oi 

 France. A^schtjnomf.ne is a name given by Pliny to a plant, resembling the locust in its character, which contracted its leaves 

 fro'n the touch of the hand. It was derived from Ihc Greek aischunomai, which signifies to be modest. Paettdacacia is 

 derived from the Greek pseudos, false, and acacia, from the resemblance of trees of this genus to the Acacia vera, or true Egyp- 

 (ia.1 acacia. 



Generic Characters. Calj'x short, and somewhat campanulate, 5-toothed or 5-cleft ; the two upper seg- 

 ments shorter, approximated or cohering. Vexillum broad and large ; keel obtuse. Stamens diadel- 

 phous, deciduous. Style bearded along the inside (next the free stamen.) Legume man)--seeded, 

 compressed, nearly sessile, the seminiferous suture margined; valves flat and thin. Seeds Hat. 

 Leaves unequally pinnate ; leaflets petiululate, stipellate. Flowers showy, white, or rose-colour, in 

 simple, usually pendant axillary racemes. Torrey and Gray, Flora. 



^^^J^^^HE trees of the genus Robinia are chiefly natives of North x\mei- 

 \,_^/^^ \^ ica, and arc highly prized for their use and beaiity. They are all 

 readily propagated from seeds, by cuttings of the branches and 

 roots, or by grafting ; and they will grow in any kind of soil that 

 is not too wet. They are generally rapid in their gro^vth, and of 

 a corresponding longevity. In common with most trees and 

 plants of rapid growth, they have the property of extending the principal roots 

 close under the surface where the soil is usually the richest. But the same cause 

 that produces this luxuriance at first, ultimately occasions the tree to grow more 

 slowly, unless the roots are allowed ample space on every sid-e ; since, as they 

 seldom penetrate deep, they soon exhaust all of their proper pabulum from the 

 soil within their reach. For this reason, also, such trees are objectionable in 

 hedge-rows, or scattered in groups in arable lands, where their roots prove a 

 serious impediment to the plough, and shoot up in suckers, which injure the 

 crops. On the other hand, roots which penetrate the earth perpendicularly, as 

 well as horizontally, belong to trees more slow and uniform in their growth, and 

 attain a larger size in proportion to the extent of ground they occupy. It does 

 not appear, however, that a rich soil is particularly injured by the Robinia3 ; 

 for, it is remarked that in Kentucky and \vestern Tennessee, where the Robinia 

 pseudacacia attains its largest size, and produces excellent timber, the land, when 

 cleared, will yield from thirty to sixty bushels of maize to an acre, for several 

 years in succession, without manure. And it has been asserted that mode- 

 rately poor and worn-out lands in America may be restored to fertility by 

 planting them with the locust, from the deposition of its leaves, bark, seeds, &c.. 

 which undergo rapid decomposition, and are thereby converted into vegetable 

 mould. 



