JEscidus hippocastanum , 
THE COMMON HORSE-CHESNUT. 
Synonymes. 
jEsculus hippocastanum, 
' Linnjeus, Species Plantarum. 
Willdenow, Berlinische Baumzucht. 
De Candolle, Prodromus. 
Loudon, Arboretum Britannicum. 
Selby, British Forest Trees. 
France. 
Germany. 
Marronier d'Indie, 
Gemeine Eosskastanie, 
Ippocastano, Marrone d'India, Castagna ) j TALY> 
cavallina, ) 
Esculo, Castana de caballo, Spain. 
Escolo, Portugal. 
Konskoi Kastan, Russia. 
Horse-chesnut Britain and Anglo- America. 
Engravings. Selby, British Forest Trees, pp. 31, 35, et 36 ; Loudon, Arboretum Britannicum, v., pi. 43; and the figures 
oelow. 
Specific Characters. Leaflets 1, obovately cuneated, acute, and toothed. Loudon, Arboretum. 
Description. 
j^^ggHE Horse-chesnut is a 
Rs h H H tree of the largest size, 
D? LI f^ with an erect trunk, and 
ife^&M a pyramidal head, some- 
times attaining a height of ninety or one hundred 
feet. The leaves are large, of a deep- green, and 
singularly interesting and beautiful, when first 
developed. When enclosed in the bud, they are 
covered with a pubescence, that falls off, as they 
become expanded, which occurs sooner or later, 
according to the dryness or moistness of the season. 
The buds are covered with a gummy substance, 
which protects their downy interior from the wet. 
The growth, both of the tree and of the leaves, is 
very rapid, sometimes the young shoots and leaves 
being perfected in three weeks from the time of 
their first unfolding. The flowers appear a short 
time after the leaves, and are white, variegated with red and yellow; and in 
Britain and the northern parts of the United States, they expand in May, and 
the fruit ripens about the end of September or early in October. 
Varieties. The following varieties are recognized under this species, and may 
be described as follows : 
1. M. h. flore pleno, Loudon. Double-floivered Horse-chesnut. This vari- 
ety is recorded in nurserymen's catalogues, but it is not common. 
2. IE. h. variegata, Loudon. Variegated-leaved Horse-chesnut. The leaves 
of this variety arc blotched with yellow, or yellowish-white ; but they have a 
ragged and unhealthy appearance, and are by no means ornamental. 
3. M. h. ohioensis, Loudon. Ohio Horse-chesnut or Fcetid Buckeye. This 
variety is found on the banks of rivers in Pennsylvania, Virginia, Ohio, and 
