CHAP. XLf. legumina\je.e. caraga^na. 629 



Genus Xlll. 



£j 



CARAGA'NA Lam. The Caragana, or Sibkrias Pea Tree. 

 Lin. St/st. Diadelphia Decandria. 



Identification. Lam. Diet., 1. p. 611., and 111., t. 607. f. 1, 2. ; Dec. Prod., 2. p. '208. ; Don's Mill., a. 



p. 243. 

 Synonyme. Robinia sp. /-. 

 Derivation. Caragan is the name of C. arborcscens among the Mongul Tartars. 



Description, i^-c. Trees or shrubs, natives of Siberia and of the East ; 

 their leaves abruptly pinnate, the leaflets mucronate, and the petioles either 

 with a bristly or a spiny point ; their flowers axillary, each on a distinct 

 pedicel, usually several together, pale yellow, except in C. jubata, in which 

 they are white tinged with red ; their stipules usually become spines. {Dec. 

 Prod., ii. p. 268.) They are all ornamental or curious. Some of them, being 

 natives of Siberia, like most other Siberian plants, vegetate early in spring ; 

 and their delicate pinnated foliage, of a yellowish green, independently 

 altogether of their flowers, makes a fine appearance about the middle of 

 April ; or, in mild seasons, even as early as the middle of March. The 

 flowers, which are of a bright yellow, appear about the end of April, in the 

 earliest Siberian species ; and those which flower latest are also latest in 

 coming into leaf. Thus, in a group consisting of the diflerent species of this 

 genus, in the climate of London, some plants may be seen, in the month of 

 May, covered with leaves and flowers ; and others in which the buds have 

 just begun to expand. The yellow colour prevails in every pai't of the 

 plants of this genus, even to the roots ; and, were it not that this colour is 

 so abundant in common productions of the vegetable kingdom, there can be 

 no doubt that the caragana would afford a yellow dye. The larger sorts are 

 easily propagated by seeds, or cuttings of the root, and the more curious by 

 grafting on C. arborescens. The dwarf and pendulous-growing species, when 

 grafted standard high on C. arborescens, form very singular trees ; and, though 

 such trees cannot be recommended for general introduction into gardens or 

 pleasure-grounds (for no kind of impression sooner fatigues the mind than that 

 produced by excessive singularity), yet the occasional introduction of what is 

 singular or unique, among what is natural or general, produces, by contrast, 

 a striking effect ; interrupts the ordinary train of impressions ; and recalls the 

 mind of the spectator from the beauties of nature to those of art. 



It I.e. arbore'sckns Z/a??j. The arborescent Caragana, or Siberian 



Pea Tree. 



Identification. Lam. Diet., 1. p. 615. ; Dec. Prod.,i2. p. 268. ; Don's Mill., 2. p. 243. 



Synonymes. Robin!« Caragdna Lin. Sp., 1(144., N. Du Ham., 2. t. 19., Pall. Fl. Koss., 1. t. 42. ; 



Caragana sibirica Ray ; fausse Acaeie de Siberie, Robinie de Sibtrie, Arbre aux Poisdes Russes, 



Fr. ; Sibirisehe Erbsenbaura, Ger. ; Gorochoik, Riiss. 

 Engravings. N. Du Ham., 2. t. 19. ; Pall. Fl. Ross., 1. t. 42., middle figure; and our plate of this 

 species m our Volume II. 



Spec. Char., ^c. Leaves with 4 — 6 pairs of oval-oblong villous leaflets. 

 Petiole unarmed. Stipules spinescent. Pedicels in fascicles. (Don's 

 Mill, ii. p. 243.) 



Variety. 

 $ C. a. 2 inermis Hort. has the branches without spines. There are 

 plants of this variety in the Horticultural Society's Garden, and in 

 the arboretum of Messrs. Loddiges. 

 Description, S)'c. A low tree, a native of Siberia, found in woods, and 

 upon the banks of rivers. In the latter situation, Pallas informs us, it grows 

 to the height of 18 ft. or more; but in arid places it is only a small shrub; in 

 the latter state, forming, as we think, the varieties C. (a.) Altagdna, and C. (a.) 

 microphj'lla. C. arborescens forms an erect stiff" tree, witli numerous upright- 

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