CAPPARIDE^E. XV. CAPPARIS. 



279 



the young shoots were frequently killed to the stump during 

 winter. As a pickle, the flower-buds of the Caper are in great 

 esteem throughout Europe. In Italy the fruit is prepared in 

 the same way as the flower-buds, both are bitterish, acrid, and 

 aromatic to the taste. In the isles of the Mediterranean, and 

 near Toulon, the flower-buds of the Caper are gathered while very 

 young, for as they enlarge they decrease in value ; this forms a 

 daily occupation lor six months, while the plants are in a flower- 

 ing state. As the buds are gathered they are thrown into a cask 

 among as much salt and vinegar as is sufficient to cover them, 

 and as die quantity of capers is increased more vinegar is added: 

 When the caper season closes, the buds are then sorted accord- 

 ing to their size and colour. The smallest and greenest being 

 the best, are separated and put into small casks of fresh vinegar 

 for commerce. They will in this state keep fit for use for many 

 years. It is said to be a common practice to put filings of 

 copper in the first pickle to give the buds a green colour. The 

 best capers are called nonpareills and the second best capucines. 

 (N. Cours complet. d'Agr. art. Caprier.) The Caper is called in 

 France caprier, in Italy capriolo or Cappero, and in German 

 Kapernstravch. Capers ha\e the character of being anti-scor- 

 butic, and of removing hepatic and other visceral obstructions ; 

 but the part of the plant which has been chiefly recommended 

 for medicinal purposes, is the bark of the root. 



Spiny or Common Caper-tree. Fl. May, Aug. Clt. 1596! 

 Shrub 3 feet, lying on the ground if not supported. 



6 C. FONTANE'SII (D. C. prod. 1. p. 245.) stipulas spinose, 

 hooked ; leaves ovate, cordate at the base, acutish at the top. 



J? . F. Native of Mauritania near Oran in fissures of rocks. 

 C. ovata, Desf. all. 1. p. 404. but not of Bieb. Flowers dull 

 white. Fruit club-shaped. Habit of the last. 



Desfontaine's Caper-tree. Fl. May, Aug. Clt. 1800? Sh. 3 ft. 



7 C.HERBA'CEA (Willd. enum. SCO.) stipulas spinose, straight; 

 leaves elliptical, mucronulate, smooth; pedicels solitary, 1- 

 flowered, longer than the leaves ; stem herbaceous, trailing on 

 the earth. "If. . F. Native of Tauria, Caspia, and Caucasus in 

 fields. C. ovata, Bieb. suppl. 2. p. 1. exclusive of the synonym. 

 Flowers white. 



Herbaceous Caper-tree. Clt. 1818. PI. trailing, 2 feet long. 



8 C. ^EGY'PTA (Lam. diet. 1. p. G05.) stipulas spinose, some- 

 what hooked ; leaves glaucous, roundish-cuneated, smooth, mu- 

 cronate at the apex ; pedicels solitary, 1 -flowered, length of the 

 leaves, fy . G. Native of Upper Egypt in the deserts. Del. 

 fl. eg. p. 93. t. 31. f. 3. Flowers whitish or rose-coloured. 



Egyptian Caper-tree. Clt. 1822. Shrub 2 to 4 feet. 



9 C. ROTUNDIFO'LIA (Rottl. in Willd. berl. mag. p. 185.) sti- 

 pulas spinose, straight ; leaves sessile, roundish-ovate, somewhat 

 cordate ; peduncles solitary, 1-flowered ; capsules globose. Tj . 

 S. Native of the East Indies. Flowers white. 



Mound-leaved Caper-tree. Shrub 4 feet. 



10 C. NEPAULE'NSIS (D.C. prod. 1. p. 246.) stipulas spinose 

 somewhat hooked ; leaves ovate, on very short petioles, and are 

 as well as branches rather hoary ; peduncles axillary, 1-flowered, 

 longer than the leaves ; ovary oblong. 17 . G. Native of 

 Nepaul. Flowers white. 



Nepaul Caper-tree. Shrub 8 feet. 



11C. NUMMULA^RIA (D. C. prod. 1. p. 246.) stipulas spinose, 

 straight ; leaves ovate-orbicular, mucronate and emarginate, 

 smooth, twice the length of the petioles. Tj . G. Native of 

 New Holland on the Barren Islands. Flowers white. 



Money-n>ort~\eaved Caper-tree. Shrub 3 feet. 



12 C. CANE'SCENS (Banks, ined. D. C. prod. 1. p. 246.) sti- 

 pulas spinose, straight ; leaves ovate, somewhat acute, velvety- 

 puberulous, 6-times longer than the petioles ; pedicels solitary, 

 1-flowered, length of the leaves. Tj . G. Native of New South 

 Wales. Flowers white. 



Hoary Caper-tree. Shrub 3 or 4 feet. 



13 C. HETERACA'NTHA (D.C. prod. 1. p. 246.) stipulas spi- 

 nose, some are straight, others hooked ; leaves orbicular, velvety, 

 on very short petioles. Tj . F. Native between Bagdad and 

 Aleppo. Leaves almost 3-nerved. Flowers white. 



Variable-spined Caper-tree. Fl. May, Aug. Shrub 4 feet. 



14 C. LEUCOPHY'LLA (D. C. prod. 1. p. 246.) stipulas spinose, 

 hooked ; leaves orbicular, hoary- velvety, on very short petioles ; 

 pedicels solitary, 1-flowered, longer than the leaves. Tj . F. 

 Native between Bagdad and Aleppo. Flowers white. Fruit 

 smooth, with 6 longitudinal veins. 



White-leaved Caper-tree. Fl. May. Aug. Shrub 3 or 4 feet. 



15 C. TOMENTO'SA (Lam. diet. 1. p. 606.) stipulas spinose, 

 hooked ; leaves ovate-oblong, blunt, velvety-tomentose ; pedicels 

 solitary, 1-flowered, shorter than the leaves, fj. S. Native of 

 Senegal. Flowers white. 



Tomentose Caper-tree. Shrub 8 feet. 



16 C. DEALBA'TA (D. C. prod. 1. p. 2-16.) stipulas spinose, 

 short, hooked ; leaves ovate-lanceolate, acuminated, younger 

 ones rather velvety, at length becoming very smooth on the 

 upper surface ; pedicels solitary, f-flowered, length of the pe- 

 tioles, fj . S. Native of Timor. Flowers white. 



Whitened Caper-tree. Shrub 4 feet. 



17 C. BREVISPI'NA (D. C. prod. 1. p. 246.) stipulas spinose, 

 short, straight ; leaves ovate-lanceolate, mucronate, smooth ; 

 pedicels solitary, 1-flowered, 3-times longer than the petioles. 

 Jj . S. Native of the East Indies. Flowers white. 



Short-spined Caper-tree. Shrub 4 to 6 feet. 



18 C. ERYTHROCA'RPA (Isert. berl. natur. 9. p. 339. t. 9.) 

 stipulas spinose, reflexed ; leaves oblong, acuminated, younger 

 ones as well as branches somewhat velvety from stellate hairs, 

 but at length becoming smooth ; pedicels solitary, 1-flowered, 

 longer than the very short petioles. Jj . S. Native of Guinea. 

 Flowers white. Fruit red. 



Red-fruited Caper-tree. Shrub 4 to 6 feet. 



19 C. RHEE'DII (D. C. prod. 1. p. 246.) stipulas spinose, 

 straight ; leaves oval-oblong, mucronate, smooth, on very 

 short petioles, netted on the under surface ; pedicels solitary, 

 1-flowered, about the length of the leaves. Tj. S. Native 

 of Malabar in sandy places. Badiikka, Rheed. mal. 6. t. 57. 

 Differing from C. Badiicca of Lin. in which there are many 

 species confused. Flowers large, white, with a faint mixture 

 of red. 



Rheede's Caper-tree. Fl. ? Shrub 4 to 6 feet. 



20 C. AFZE'LII (D. C. prod. 1. p. 246.) stipulas spinose, 

 hooked ; leaves ovate-lanceolate, younger ones somewhat pu- 

 berulous, adult ones smooth, on very short petioles ; pedicels 

 solitary, 1-flowered. Jj . S. Native of the western coast of 

 Africa. Flowers white. Very like C. Rheedii, 



Afzelius's Caper-tree. Shrub 6 feet. 



21 PYRIFO'LIA (Lam. diet. 1. p. 606.) stipulas spinose, short, 

 hooked ; leaves oval-lanceolate, acute, younger ones rather 

 tomentose, adult ones smooth ; pedicels solitary, 1-flowered, 

 much shorter than the leaves. T? . S. Native of the East Indies. 

 Flowers white. 



Pear-leaved Caper-tree. Shrub 6 feet. 



22 C. STYLO'SA (D. C. prod. 1. p. 246.) stipulas spinose, 

 spreading ; leaves oval-lanceolate, acute, younger ones some- 

 what woolly, adult ones smooth; pedicels solitary, 1-flowered, 

 3-times longer than the petioles ; sepals acuminated, ovary nar- 

 rowed out into a thick style. ^ S. Native of Coromandel in 

 sandy places. Flowers white. 



Var. ft, velutina (D. C. 1. c.) plant somewhat hoary with short 

 down. Native of Mysore. 



Long-styled Caper-tree. Shrub 6 feet. 



23 C. HO'RRIDA (Lin fil. suppl. 264.) stipulas spinose, spread- 



