VIBURNUM 657 



above, smooth beneath or downy, chiefly on the veins; stalk to f in. long. 

 Flowers creamy white, in. across, all perfect, produced in long-stalked 

 cymes 3 to 4 ins. across. Fruit oval, about | in. long, at first pink, then 

 blue-black. 



Native of Japan. This is a vigorous and handsome shrub usually more 

 in diameter than it is high, distinguished by its large, strongly veined, often 

 obovate leaves, which have a disagreeable scent when crushed. A Viburnum 

 is grown in nurseries under this name which is really V. japonicum, an 

 evergreen of quite distinct species described on a previous page. The V. 

 Sieboldii usually found in cultivation and commonly known as " reticulatum " 

 has leaves almost entirely smooth. 



V. THEIFERUM, Rehder. 



(Sargent's Trees and Shrubs, t. 121.) 



A deciduous shrub of erect habit, up to 12 ft. high, with smooth grey 

 stems. Leaves ovate-lanceolate, rounded at the base, long, and taper- 

 pointed, widely and sharply toothed; 3 to 6 ins. long, ij to 2^ ins. wide; 

 dark green above, and smooth on both surfaces, with the exception of long 

 hairs on the midrib and on the parallel veins beneath, which mostly fall 

 away by autumn; vein % s in six to nine pairs, running out to the teeth; stalk 

 \ to i in. long, hairy like the midrib. Cymes i^ to 2 ins. across, five- 

 branched, terminal on short, lateral, two-leaved twigs. Flowers white, j in. 

 wide, all perfect. Fruit red, egg-shaped, nearly | in. long. 



Native of Central and W. China; introduced in 1901 by Wilson. It is 

 allied to V. phlebotrichum (see p. 660), but has larger, longer stalked leaves. 

 The specific name refers to the use of the leaves by the monks of Mount Omi 

 as a kind of tea. 



V. TlNUS, Linnceus. LAURUSTINUS. 



A dense-habited, much-branched evergreen shrub of rounded form, 6 to 

 10 ft. high, often more in diameter, and furnished to the ground; young 

 shoots smooth, or slightly hairy. Leaves not toothed, narrowly ovate, 

 approaching oblong, tapered at both ends; i^ to 4 ins. long, f to i| ins. 

 wide; dark glossy green above, paler beneath, and with tufts of down in the 

 lower vein-axils; stalk ^ to f in. long, often more or less hairy. Flowers 

 white, about J in. across, uniform and perfect, produced in winter and spring 

 in terminal cymes 2 to 4 ins. across. Fruit ovoid, tapering towards the top, 

 ^ in. long, deep blue. 



Native of the Mediterranean Region and S.E. Europe; cultivated in 

 South Britain, for over three centuries. In southern gardens the Laurustinus 

 is one of the most useful of all evergreen shrubs, forming rich masses of 

 greenery and opening its flowers any time between November and April, 

 according to the weather.. It will thrive in moderate shade, but flowers 

 more freely in full sun. The fruits are a beautiful indigo-blue, but not 

 frequently seen with us. From all other cultivated hardy Viburnums this is 

 distinguished by its luxuriant masses of entire, evergreen leaves. 



The Laurustinus is represented in gardens by several varieties, and even 

 among plants we regard as typical, variation is noticeable. 



Var. HIRTUM, Alton. In this variety the shoots, the stalks, and bases of 

 the leaves are clothed with bristly hairs. The leaves also are larger and of 

 different shape, being as much as 3 to 4 ins. long, and 2 ins.' wide, rounded 

 or even slightly heart-shaped at the base, Scarcely so hardy as the type, 

 and sometimes grown for early flowering in cool greenhouses. There are 

 bushes 1 6 ft high in the botanic garden at Bath. 



