GRANATE^E. I. PUNICA. MEMECYLE^l. 



653 



They thrive in almost any kind of soil, and are usually increased by 

 layers, but young cuttings will also strike root, if planted in a 

 pot of sand, with a bell-glass placed over them, in a little bottom 

 heat. The plants endure our winters in the open air, in a shel- 

 tered situation, with very little protection in severe weather. 

 But as they flower during the winter months, the plants are 

 liable to be injured by the frost, if planted in an exposed situation, 

 they are therefore seen to most advantage under shelter, as in a 

 greenhouse, pit, or conservatory. 



ORDER LXXXVII. GRANA'TE^E (this order only contains 

 the species of Pomegranate and their varieties). D. Don, in 

 edinb. phil. journ. July 1826. p. 134. D. C. prod. 3. p. 3. A 

 genus of Myrtacece, Juss. and all other authors. 



Calyx with a turbinate tube (f. 86. a.) and a 5-7-cleft coriaceous, 

 tubular limb (f. 86. e.) ; segments valvate in aestivation. Petals 5-7 

 (f. 86. 6.). Stamens numerous ; filaments free ; anthers 2-celled, 

 bursting in front, by 2 chinks. Style filiform. Stigma capitate, 

 papulose. Fruit large, spherical (f. 86. c.), crowned by the limb 

 of the calyx (f. 86. d.\ indehiscent; the fruit is the tube of 

 the calyx, divided horizontally into two chambers or parts 

 (f. 86./.), the upper division 5-9-celled, and the lower division 

 3-celled ; the dissepiments membranous, separating the cells ; 

 the placentas of the upper division of the fruit fleshy, reaching 

 from the parietes to the centre ; those of the lower divi- 

 sion progressing irregularly from the bottom of the fruit. 

 Seeds innumerable, exalbuminous, covered with pellucid bac- 

 cate pulp. Embryo oblong, with a short, straight radicle, 

 and foliaceous, spirally convolute cotyledons. This order 

 is composed of trees or shrubs, with tetragonal subspinose 

 branches, opposite, deciduous leaves, rarely verticillate or al- 

 ternate ; they are oblong-lanceolate and dotless, usually dis- 

 posed in fascicles in the axils. Flowers 2-5, scarlet, almost 

 sessile, rising near the tops of the branches. This order only 

 consists of one genus, the well-known pomegranate. It differs 

 from Myrtacece, in the leaves being destitute of dots, and in 

 being without the marginal nerve, also in the economy of the 

 fruit, the pulpy seeds, and in the convolute cotyledons ; from 

 Calycanthcce in the valvate calyx, and in the anthers bursting 

 inwardly ; from Memecjlece in the indefinite stamens ; from 

 Combretacece in the many-celled ovary, and in the situation of 

 the seeds ; from Vochyslece in the indefinite stamens and regular 

 flowers ; and from all in the structure of the fruit. 



I. PLPNICA (Punicus, Carthaginian, because it is a native of 

 the countries from the north of Africa to Rome ; or from puni- 

 ceus, scarlet, from the colour of the flowers). Tourn. inst. t. 

 401. Lin. gen. no. 618. Gsertn. fr. 1. t. 38. D. C. prod. 

 3. p. 3. 



LIN. SYST. Icosdndria, Monogynia. Character the same as 

 the order. 



1 P. GRANA'TUM (Lin. spec. 676.) leaves lanceolate ; stem 

 arboreous. Tj . H. Native of Barbary, from whence it has 

 migrated into the south of Europe, and now as it were become 

 indigenous. 



Var. a, rubrum ; flowers scarlet, single ; pulp surrounding the 

 seed, reddish. Tj . H. Wild in the places stated above. 

 Trew, ehret. t. 71. f. 1. Poit. et Turp. arb. fr. 22. Schkuhr, 



FIG. 



handb. t. 131. ft. Sims.bot. mag. 

 1832. 



* Jlore-pleno ; flowers double, 

 scarlet. More impatient of cold 

 than the single variety. Trew. 

 ehret. t. 71. f. 2. 



Var. ft,albescens ; corolla white; 

 calyx yellowish ; pulp surround- 

 ing the seeds pale. J? . H. Less 

 impatient of cold than the pre- 

 ceding variety. Andr. bot. rep. 96. 



* Jlore-pleno ; flowers double, 

 white, having the calyx yellow- 

 ish. Tj . H. This variety is very 

 impatient of cold. 



Var. y,flavum ; flowers yellow. 

 This variety is very rare. 



The rind of the fruit and the flowers of the pomegranate are 

 the parts directed for medicinal use. They are both powerful 

 astringents, and have long been successfully employed as such 

 both externally and internally as gargles, in diarrhoeas, &c. The 

 dose in substance is from half a drachm to a drachm. In infu- 

 sion or decoction to half an ounce. The pulp is subacid, allay- 

 ing heat, quenching thirst, and gently laxative. 



Common Pomegranate. Fl. June, Sept. Clt. 1548. Tree 

 15 to 30 feet. 



2 P. NA'NA (Lin. spec. 676.) leaves linear ; stem shrubby. 

 Jj . G. Native of the West India Islands, and South America ; 

 about Demerara, &c. Sims, bot. mag. 634. Trew. ehret. t. 71. 

 f. 3. Flowers red. Perhaps only a variety of the preceding. 

 The flowers are much smaller than those of the common pome- 

 granate, and the fruit is about the size of a nutmeg. In the 

 West Indies, where it is a native, it is planted for hedges, and 

 continues flowering all the year. 



Dwarf Pomegranate. Fl. Jul. Sept. Clt. 1723. Sh. 5 to 6 ft. 



Cult. There is no tree more showy than the Pomegranate, 

 when in flower. It is best planted against a wall with a south 

 aspect. All the varieties strike root freely from cuttings or 

 layers ; the rarer varieties are sometimes increased by grafting 

 on the commoner kinds. Those varieties most impatient of cold 

 had better be grown in pots, that they may the more easily be 

 protected by placing under shelter in the winter. 



ORDER LXXXVIII. MEMECY'LE^E (plants agreeing with 

 Memecylon in important characters). D. C. prod. 2. p. 5. 



Calyx with an ovate or subglobose tube and a 4-5-lobed or 

 4-5-toothed limb. Petals 4-5, inserted in the calyx and alter- 

 nating with its lobes. Stamens 8-10, or double the number of 

 the petals ; filaments free ; anthers incurved, 2-celled. Style 

 filiform. Berry crowned by the limb of the calyx, 2-4-celled. 

 Seeds few, exalbuminous. Cotyledons foliaceous, convolute. 

 Radicle straight. Intratropical shrubs, with simple, quite entire, 

 dotless, opposite leaves, which are nearly always feather-nerved ; 

 and axillary pedicellate flowers. This is a very doubtful order, 

 but is, on account of its convolute cotyledons, allied to Calycdn- 

 thece, Granatece, and Combretacece, but from the form of the 

 anthers and the number of the parts of the flower, it is nearer 

 related to Melastomacece, nor is it far removed from Myrtacece 

 in the habit, flowers, and opposite leaves. 



Synopsis of the genera. 

 1 MEME'CYLON. Calyx with a globose tube and a bluntly 4- 



