1798 



EDwArDSIA cbilensis. 



Chilian Mayu Tree. 



DECANDRIA MO'NOGYKIA. 



Nat. ord. LEGUMixosiE, Juss. § Papilio\ace;f>. {Introduction to the 

 Natural System of Botany^ p. 87.) 



EDWARDSIA.— Suprii, vol. 9.foL 738. 



E. cliilensis ; foliolis 13-19 elliptico-oblongis obtusis rigidis subtus sericeis, 

 petalo supremo lateralium longitudine, legiimine binodoso aptero. 



Edwardsia chilensis. Miers Trav. in Chili ; the name only. 



Sophora macrocarpa. Smith in Rees. De Cand. Prodr. 2. 96. Hooker et 

 Arnott in Bot. Misc. 3. 177. 



A fine tree, native of Chile, where the inhabitants call it 

 Mayu. It was introduced by Messrs. Loddiges in 1822, 

 having been sent them by General Paroissien under the 

 name of '^ Sophora Myrospermum.'' 



It proves to be a hardy handsome tree, flowering in May 

 in great profusion. We believe that it at present exists in 

 no other collection. 



This is plainly an Edwardsia^ notwithstanding the opinion 

 of the late Sir James Smith to the contrary, and notwith- 

 standing the alleged want of wings to its pods. Supposing 

 that fact to be as stated, it only shews that the winged pod 

 is unessential to the genus Edwardsia, and not that the 

 genus itself is a bad one ; for surely if there be any one 

 genus on which Nature has set her mark more distinctly than 

 another it is this. Mistakes like those of Smith are the 

 certain accompaniments of the meagre system of artificial 

 Botany. 



*^ See folio 738. 



