472 RUSCUS SALIX 



Native of S. Europe and N. Africa; introduced early in the seventeenth 

 century. Whilst this species has a general resemblance to R. Hypoglossum, 

 it is readily distinguished by the shorter, broader "leaves" or cladodes; the 

 tiny bract; and in the flowers coming from underneath. It is too tender to 

 have much value in gardens near London, but is interesting for more southern 

 and western localities. 



RUT A GRAVEOLENS, Linnczus. RUE. RUTACE.E. 



An evergreen shrub, with erect, half-woody branches, rarely seen 

 more than 3 ft. high. Leaves of a markedly glaucous hue, alternate, 

 variable in length, but usually 3 to 5 ins. long, pinnately decompound, 

 the leaflets usually confined to the upper half, the ultimate subdivisions 

 obovate, \ to J in. long. Flowers, f in. wide, arranged in terminal 

 corymbs, rather dull yellow ; the sepals and petals usually four, sometimes 

 five; the stamens twice as many. Petals scoop-shaped with jagged 

 edges. Fruit a usually four-celled capsule. 



Rue is known best, of course, as a garden herb with an acrid taste, 

 used in domestic and especially rustic medicine for colic, hysteria, 

 promoting perspiration, etc. Applied locally it is a powerful irritant. 

 These properties are due to a volatile oil which permeates the leaves and 

 younger parts of the plant. Given in too large doses it is dangerous, and 

 produces symptoms of acrid narcotic poisoning. The species is a native 

 of S. Europe, and owing no doubt to its medicinal properties has been 

 grown in English gardens from time immemorial. It finds frequent 

 mention in Shakespeare as " herb of grace " : 



" I'll set a bank of rue, sour herb of grace." 



The gardener, in King Richard //. 



It should find a place in all extensive shrub collections not only for its 

 associations, but for its beauty also. When fully in flower the dark 

 yellow blossoms contrast prettily with the glaucous foliage, and they 

 continue to open from June onwards for some months. It is quite easily 

 increased by cuttings, and will thrive all the better if lime or chalk be 

 mixed with the soil where it is naturally absent. There is a var. VARIEGATA 

 in cultivation, its leaflets bordered with white. 



SALIX. WILLOW. SALICACE^:. 



More than one hundred and seventy years ago Linnaeus remarked on 

 the difficulties and obscurities that encumber the student in his investiga- 

 tion of the willows. To-day when the number of known species and 

 varieties has vastly increased, these difficulties have intensified rather than 

 diminished. Yet most of the leading types or genuine species are not 

 difficult to identify. The greatest of all the troubles of the systematic 

 botanist arise from the fact that Nature has not differentiated her species 

 clearly. If every one stood out well apart from its fellows, half his work 

 would be done. In no large class of plants do the types merge one into 



