RHAMNUS 333 



leaves than the type, up to 3^ ins. long and 2 ins. wide. This form must not 

 be confounded with 



R. LATIFOLIA, UHeritier, a. species found in the Azores, and perhaps not 

 very hardy in this country, although it thrives in the garden of Bitton Vicarage 

 and at Glasnevin. It has leaves up to 5 ins. long, 3 ins. wide, with'ten to 

 sixteen pairs of parallel veins and a stalk i j ins. long. Allied to R. Frangula, 

 it differs not only in its larger, more numerously veined leaves, but also in 

 having a downy flower-stalk and calyx, the former up to in.' long. Fruit 

 nearly | in. across, red, then black. Introduced in 1778 ; now very rare, but 

 worth growing for its handsome foliage. 



R. HYBRIDA, UHeritier. 



An evergreen or partially evergreen shrub up to 12 ft. high, of spreading 

 habit, more in diameter than it is high ; shoots smooth. Leaves ovate to 

 oblong, rounded or widely tapered at the base, pointed, i^ to 4 ins. long, 

 | to if ins. wide ; shallowly and finely toothed, smooth on both surfaces, 

 rather pale green ; about seven veins each side the midrib ; leaf-stalk \ to 

 in. long. It is regarded as a hybrid between R. Alaternus and R. alpina. 



Var. BlLLARDl, Lavaltie (R. Billardi), with small, narrow, more lanceolate 

 leaves, is considered to be a form of R. hybrida, but is very dissimilar, 

 especially in the conspicuous jagged toothing. Its form of leaf suggests that 

 it might have originated from R. Alaternus var. angustifolia. 



R. IMERETINA, Booth. 

 (Bot. Mag., t. 6721 (as R. libanotica) ; R. colchica, Sommier.') 



A deciduous shrub up to 10 ft. high, with very sturdy shoots sparsely 

 downy when young. Leaves oblong or oval, rounded or slightly heart-shaped 

 at the base, taper-pointed, finely toothed ; 4 to 10 ins. long, 2 to 4 ins. wide ; 

 veins parallel in fifteen to twenty-five pairs ; upper surface dark green and 

 soon smooth, except in the sunken midrib and veins ; lower surface downy, 

 especially on the veins ; stalk ^ to f in. long, downy. Flowers green, in small, 

 axillary clusters. Fruit f in. long. 



Native of the Western Caucasus up to 8500 ft., and a very handsome, 

 large-leaved, quite hardy shrub the finest of all the buckthorns. I have 

 measured odd leaves as much as 14 ins. long, and 6 ins. wide. It is much 

 confused in gardens with R. LIBANOTICA, Boissier, a nearly allied species 

 found in the Lebanon region of Syria, and distinguished by smaller leaves 

 with only fifteen or fewer pairs of veins ; leaf-stalk \ in. long ; fruit \ in. 

 diameter, black. The leaves of R. imeretina die off a deep bronzy purple in 

 autumn. R. fallax (q.v.} is also similar, but is smooth in shoot and leaf. 



R. INFECTORIA, Linnceus. AVIGNON BERRY. 



A deciduous shrub of spreading habit up to 7 ft. high, the side twigs spine- 

 tipped ; young shoots downy. Leaves very variable, mostly oval, but also 

 ovate or obovate ; tapered at both ends, finely toothed, \ to \\ ins. long, 

 5- to I in. wide ; upper surface dark green, mostly smooth, or with down on 

 the midrib, lower one smooth or slightly downy ; veins in three or four pairs 

 converging upwards ; stalk ^ to ^ in. long, usually downy. Fruit two-seeded, 

 black. 



Native of S.W. Europe. It has longer, firmer-textured leaves than 

 R. saxatilis, but the two are perhaps only varieties of the one species. The 

 fruit is (or was once) used by dyers under the name of Graine d? Avignon 



