xxn. AHAMNACEJB: C Y EANO THUS. 



I8J 



Spec. Char., $c. Leaves ovate-oblong, obtuse, acutely serrated, smooth above, 

 hoary and downy beneath. Thyrse elongated, axillary, with a downy rachis. 

 Pedicels smooth. (Don's Mill.} A sub-evergreen shrub. Mexico. Height 

 6ft. to 10ft. Introduced in 1818. Flowers bright blue; May to Sep- 

 tember. Fruit black, enclosing 3 seeds ; ripe in October. 



Variety* 



* m C.a.2 inlermedius, C. intermedius Horf., has the 

 habit of C. azureus, with pale flowers, like those 

 of C. americanus, varying with different shades of 

 blue. It was raised by Mr. Masters of Canter- 

 bury, from seeds of C. azureus fecundated by C. 

 americanus. 



A very handsome shrub, profusely covered with brilliant 

 celestial blue flowers in large panicles. In Mexico its bark 

 is considered as a febrifuge. It is the most robust-growing 

 species of the genus, attaining, in 3 or 4? years from seed, 

 the height of 5 or 6 feet, or more, against a wall. It was 

 at first treated as a green-house plant, but lately it has been 

 found to be nearly as hardy as the North American species. 

 In the winter ot 1837-8 these plants were greatly injured, 

 but none of them killed. North of London the plant is 

 less vigorous. 



& 3. C. (A.) THYRSIFLO'RUS Esch. The Thyrse-flowered Ceanothus. 



Identification. Esch. in Mem. Acad. St. Petersburg (1826) ; Hook. Fl. Bor. Am., 1. p. 125. ; Don's 



Mill., 2. p. 37. ; Tor. and Gray, 1. p. 266. 

 Synonyme. C. ovatus cyaneus Booth, Baumann, 8(C. 

 Engraving. Our Jig. . in p. 



Spec. Char., $c. Leaves oval, 3-nerved, serrulated, smooth. Stem many- 

 angled ; panicle thyrsoid in the axillary branches. (Don's Mill.) A sub- 

 evergreen shrub, or small tree. Monterey, Upper California, and north- 

 west coast of North America. Height in America 5 ft. to 20 ft. Intro- 

 duced in ? 1830. Flowers bright blue ; May to November. Fruit black; 

 ripe about a month after flowering. 



In its native country, in favourable situations, this species becomes a small 

 tree, with a stem sometimes as thick as a man's arm, and strongly angular 

 branches. In British gardens it forms a free-flowering highly ornamental 

 shrub, with much of the habit of C. azureus ; from which it chiefly differs 

 in having the flowers in a close, instead of in an elongated, thyrse. Not- 

 withstanding this difference, we consider it as only a variety of that species. 



& at 4. C. VELUTI'NUS Doug. The velvety-leaved Ceanothus. 



Identification. Hook. Flor. Bor. Amer., 1. p. 125. ; and Tor. and Gray, 1. p. 265. 

 Engravings. Hook. Flor. Bor. Amer., 1. t. 45. ; and our fig. 274. 



Spec. Ckar., $c. Branches somewhat pendulous. 

 Leaves orbicular, elliptical or elliptical ovate, obtuse, 

 subcordate, glandularly crenate, serrulate, coria- 

 ceous, glabrous, and shining (as if varnished) above, 

 velvety, canescent, and strongly 3-ribbed beneath. 

 Panicles axillary, elongated, on rather long pe- 

 duncles. (Tor. and Gray.) A shrub, probably 

 sub-evergreen. North-west coast of North America, 

 on subalpine hills. Height 3 ft. to 8 ft. Not intro- 

 duced. Flowers white. Fruit dr} r , 2 3-seeded. 



This is apparently a very desirable species ; and, as 

 it is so abundant as to cover the whole declivities of 

 hills, forming thickets very difficult to penetrate, we 

 have no doubt that it will soon be introduced. 

 Branches nearly glabrous. The leaves abound with an aromatic resin 



N 3 



274. C. velutlnus. 



