634 



ARBORETUM AND FR U'l'ICb: lUW. 



Genus XIV. 



PART J 11. 



HALIMODE'NDRON Fisch, The Halimodendron, or Salt Tree. 

 Lin. Si/st. Diadelphia Decandria. 



Identification. Fisch. in Lilt. ; Dec. Ligum. M^m., a ; Prod., 2. j.. 2()9. ; Don's Mill., 2. p. 244 

 Synonyme. Halodendron Dec. iUm. ined. in Soc. Phys. Gen., March, 182+, but not of Petit Thouars. 

 Derivation. Fom halimos, maritime, anil dendron, a tree; in reference to the habitat of the shrubs, 

 which grow in dry naked salt fields by the river Irtis, in Siberia. 



Description, <!yr. Deciduous shrubs, with silky leaves, and purplish flowers. 

 There are only two species, one of which is probably only a variety. They 

 are propagated by seeds, by cuttings of the roots, or by grafting on the common 

 laburnum, or on the Caragana arbor^scens. 



a 1. H. arue'nteum Dec. 



The sWvery-lcaved Halimodendron, or 

 Salt Tree. 



IdentMcation. Dec. Prod., 2. p. 2fi9. ; Don's Mill., 2. p. 244. 



Synonymcs. Uobinm Halodendron Lin. FU. Suppl., 330., Pall. Fl. Ross., t. 36. ; Caragana argentca 



Lam. in Pall. Itin. ed. Gall., App. ii. 3<iO, t. 83. f. 1. 

 Engravings. Pall. Fl. Ross., t. 36. ; and our fig. 315. 



Spec. Char.y Sfc. Leaves hoary. Peduncles 2-flowered. {Don's Mill.,, ii. 



p. 24-i.) 

 Varieties. De Candolle mentions two forms of this species. 



a /f. a. 1 vulgdre Dec. Prod., ii. p. 2G9. — Leaves hoary or silvery. 



Standard the same length as the keel. {Sims Hot. Mag., t. 1016.) 

 « H. a. 2 brachi/sema Dec. Prod. ii. p. 269.— Leaves hoary or silvery. 

 Standard one half shorter than the wings and keel. Style short. 



Description, S^c. An irregular, much branched, rigid 

 shrub, with a strigose grey bark, and leaves clothed with 

 a whitish silky down. The flowers are numerous, re- 

 sembling those of Z/athyrus tuberosus, both in colour and 

 size ; and they smell sweet. It is a native of Siberia, in 

 saline steppes, near the river Irtis ; and, according to 

 Pallas, it is much frequented by insects, especially of the 

 genus Meloe L., many species of which are peculiar to W ' 

 that region. It was introduced into Britain in 1779, by (J^f 

 Dr. Pitcairn ; and, according to Martyn's Miller, though 

 it flourished in British gardens, it seldom, if ever, flowereil 

 there, " probably for want of the saline principle in the soil." 

 been argued by some, that the halimodendron, and other trees which grow 

 naturally in saline soils, should be supplied with sea salt in a state of culture : 

 but, though this may be useful in some cases, experience proves that it is alto- 

 gether unnecessary in others; and this is confirmed by the success with which 

 the species before us is cultivated in British gardens. At present, it flowers freely 

 from May to July, and, in moist seasons, later ; and, when grafted standard high 

 on the common laburnum, it forms one of the most graceful drooping trees that 

 can adorn a lawn. There is a fine specimen of this tree in the Hammersmith 

 Nursery, as there are of most species of Caragana, and of Calophaca wol- 

 garica. Price, in the London nurserie.s, from \s. to 2s. 6f/., grafted standard 

 high, Is. 6d.; at Bollwyller, 1 franc 50 cents; and at New York, 1 dollar. 



a 2. H. (a.) subvire'scens Don. The greenish Halimodendron, or Salt Tree. 



Identification. Don's Mill., 2. p. 244. 



Synonymcs. Robinia tri&brsi L'Herit. Stirp. Nov., IdQ.; H. argenteum /3 subvirescens Dec. Prod., 

 2. p. 169. 



Spec. Char., Sfc. Leaves greenish. The standard of the same length as that 

 of the keel. Pedicels .3-flowered. (Do)t's Mill., ii. p. 2-i4.) A shrub, like 

 the preceding one, of which it is, without doubt, only a variety. 



