298 



THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 



CERCIS (from Tcerkis, a shuttlecock ; a name given by 

 Theophrastus to this tree). Judas-tree. ORD. Leguminosas. 

 Ornamental, hardy, deciduous trees. For their singular 

 beauty, they deserve a place in every garden and shrubbery. 

 When the trees have arrived at a good size, the branches 

 are so thickly beset with flowers as scarcely to be seen; 



FIG. 406. FLOWERING BRANCH OF CERCIS SILIQUASTRUI 



and the singular shape of the leaves which appear after 

 the flowers -makes a very agreeable variety in summer. 

 The trees prefer a deep, free, rich, sandy soil. They are 

 generally raised from seeds, which should be sown about 



Fio. 407. CEREUS GRANDIFLORUS. 



Cercis continued. 



the end of March, on a bed of light soil, in a gentle heat. 



The young plants will produce flowers in three or four 



years ; they may also be propagated by layers, but plants 



raised from seeds thrive best. 



C. canadensis (Canadian).* A. red ; pedicels one-flowered, rising 

 from the trunk and branches in fascicles. May. I. cordate, acumi- 

 nate, villous in the axils of the veins beneath, h. 12ft. to 20ft. 

 Canada, 1730. 



C. chlnensis (Chinese).* This recently-introduced species closely 

 resembles C. canadensix in foliage ; the pink flowers are larger. 

 SYN. C. japonica. 



C. japonica (Japanese). A synonym of C. chinensis. 



C. Siliquastrum.* Common Judas-tree ; Love-tree. Jl. bright 

 purple ; pedicels one-flowered, rising from the trunk and branches 

 in fascicles. May. 1. simple, cordate, very blunt, emarginate, 



quite glabrous, h. 20ft. to ; 



South Europe, 1596. In northern 



parts of this country, this fine species requires to be planted 

 against a wall, in which situation it thrives admirably. The wood 



is very beautiful and veined with black, takes an excelle 



and may be utilised for many purposes. See Fig. 406. (B. M. litt.) 



There are varieties with flesh-coloured and white flowers. 



CEBrCOCABiFUS (from kerkis, a shuttle, and karpos, 

 a fruit; in reference to the shape of the fruit). ORD. 

 RosacecB. Greenhouse or half-hardy evergreen shrubs or 

 small trees. They thrive in a mixture of peat and loam. 

 Cuttings will root if planted in a pot of sand, with a hand 

 glass placed over them. 



C. fotbergilloides (Fothergilla-like).* JL in axillary umbellate 

 fascicles ; calyx purple, with a cylindrical permanent tube. May. 

 I. alternate, entire, nearly elliptic, coriaceous, glabrous, fur- 

 nished with two petiolar stipules, h. 12ft. Mexico, 1828. 



FIG. 408. CEREUS NYCTICALUS. 



CEREUS (from cereus, pliant; in reference to the 

 hoots of some species). Torch Thistle. ORD. Cactece. 

 Fleshy grotesque greenhouse shrubs, with a woody axis, 

 and medulliferous inside ; angles vertical, bearing fascicles 

 of spines, regularly furrowed. Flowers large, rising from 



