RUSCUS 471 



in very shady places. The best time to break up the plants for propaga- 

 tion is spring. 



R. ACULEATUS, Linn&us. BUTCHER'S BROOM. 



An evergreen, well-armed shrub, spreading and renewing itself by means 

 of sucker growths springing from the base; ij to 3 ft. high, the crowded 

 -erect stems having many rigid branches near the top; stems grooved. 

 44 Leaves 7 ' ovate, stalkless, $ to IT, ins. long, j to f in. wide; slightly glossy 

 on both sides, tapering at the apex to a slender, stiff spine. Flowers % in. 

 across, dull white, borne singly or in pairs (apparently stalkless) in the centre 

 of the ''leaf,' ; but really produced in the leaf-axil, the stalk being united to the 

 midrib of the " leaf." The flower-bud forms early in the year, and opens in 

 spring. Fruit a globose or oblong, bright red berry, ^ to f in. diameter, 

 borne, like the flower of course, in the "leaf-centre. 



Native of Europe, including the south of England. The butcher's broom 

 is remarkable in being the only shrubby plant of the monocotyledonous type 

 native of the British Isles. It is not, ordinarily, a showy plant, but is always 

 interesting for the curious position of its flowers and fruit. When laden with 

 the latter it is very ornamental indeed; but the plants are mostly unisexual, 

 md the fruits are not commonly seen in gardens, because one of the sexes, 

 but more especially the female, is wanting. It is especially useful for planting 

 in dense shade where very few evergreens will thrive. It is said to have 

 obtained its common name through being used in the shape of brooms by 

 butchers to clean their blocks. In S. Italy I have seen it used as a garden 

 besom, the same as birch and ling are used in this country. 



Var. ANGUSTIFOLIUS, Boissier, has narrower "leaves" than the type. 



ype. 

 de, 



Var. LATIFOLIUS has " leaves " up to 2 ins. long and f to I in. wide, glossy. 



R. HYPOGLOSSUM, Linnceus. 



An evergreen shrub, 8 to 18 ins. high, forming compact tufts, and increasing 

 by new sucker growths from the sides; stem somewhat arching, as thick as a 

 lead pencil, scarcely woody, unbranched, green. " Leaves " not spiny, the 

 lower ones narrow-oval, the upper ones oblanceolate, tapered at both ends; 

 smooth and glossy on both sides, with prominent longitudinal veins; 3 to 4^ 

 ins. long, i to ii ins. wide. On the upper side is borne a leaf-like bract, 

 lanceolate, i to r| ins. long, J to in. wide, in the axil of which a few small, 

 yellowish flowers appear in April and May. Berry red, globose, to 

 2 in. wide. 



Native of S. Europe; cultivated in England since the sixteenth century. 

 No evergreen shrub thrives better than this in shade and in competition with 

 the roots of greedy trees; in this is its chief value for gardens. It flowers in 

 cultivation, but in my experience rarely bears fruit. 



R HYPOPHYLLUM, Linnaus. 



(Bot. Mag., t. 2049.) 



A small evergreen plant, 6 to 12 ins. high, similar in habit to, but in this 

 country dwarfer than, R. Hypoglossum. " Leaves " oval, sometimes slightly 

 ovate; i^ to 3 ins. long, to ij ins. wide; shortly stalked; the point short 

 and abrupt. Flowers small, white, produced in a cluster from the centre of 

 the under-surface of the "leaf," each flower on a slender stalk \ in. long; they 

 are borne in the axil of a small bract in. long. Berry globose, red, 

 in. wide. 



