254 ARBORETUM ET FRUTICETUM BRITANNICUM. 



The leaves are bipinnate, and tho leaflets are elliptic obtuse, notched on the 

 edges, smooth, shining, and much larger than those of any other species. 

 (Desf. Arb., ii. p. 248.) The pods are rarely above 6 in. long. The tree 

 stands the cold better than the honey locust, and has ripened its fruit in Paris, 

 in the Jardin des Plantes, and in the nursery of M. Gels. (Diet, des Eaux et 

 des Forets, vol. ii. p. 150.) 



4. G. (s.) MACRACA'NTHA Desf. The long-spined Gleditschia. 



Identification. Desf. Arb., 2. p. 246. ; Don's Mill., 2. p. 428. 

 Synonymes. G. ferox Baudr. ; Fevier a grosses E'pines, Fr. 

 Engraving. The plate of this species in Arb. Brit, 1st edit., vol. v. 



Spec. Char., $c. Prickles strong, branchy, numerous. Leaflets lanceolate, 

 somewhat rigid, notched, dentated. Podb elongated. (Desf. Arb.} A 

 middle-sized tree, with a prickly trunk. China ?. Height 40 ft. to 50 ft. 

 Flowers greenish ; June and July 



The prickles are axillary and large. The leaves are twice winged; the 

 leaflets large, coriaceous, dark green, and shining on the upper surface. The 

 young shoots are covered with extremely short hairs, and are of a purplish 

 brown colour. On the whole, it bears a close resemblance to G. sinensis, of 

 which it is, probably, only a variety. It is very hardy ; and Desfontaines says 

 that it fruits freely in France. The fruit ripens in the autumn ; and the pods 

 are long, pendulous, swelled, and rather cylindrical. They are filled with a 

 sharp acrid pulp, somewhat resembling that of tamarinds, but the emanations 

 from which, when inhaled, occasion sneezing. 



3? 5. G. (s.) FE^ROX Desf. The ferocious-prickled Gleditschia. 



Identification. Desf. Arb., 2. p. 247. ; Don's Mill., 2. p. 428. 

 Synonymes. G. orientalis Base; Fevier b^risse, Fr. 

 Engraving. Our Jig. . in p. 



Spec. Char., 8fc. Prickles large, robust, much compressed, trifid. Leaflets 



lanceolate, notched. (Desf. Arb.) 



A middle-sized branching deciduous tree, the trunk of which is thickly beset 

 with strong branchy prickles, and which is supposed to grow from 30 ft. to 

 50 ft. in height ; but of which the native country, and year of introduction 

 into Britain, are unknown. Judging from the plants in the Hort. Soc. Garden, 

 and those in the arboretum of Messrs. Loddiges, we should say it was only 

 a variety of G. sinensis; though Desfontaines states the foliage and habit of 

 growth to be somewhat different. It has not yet flowered in Europe. 



6. G. CA'SPICA Desf. The Caspian Gleditschia. 



Identification. Desf. Arb., 2. p. 24r. ; Don's Mill., 2. p. 428. 

 Synonyme. G. caspi&na Base. 

 Engraving Our fig. 417- 



Spec. Char., $c. Prickles slender, trifid, compressed. 

 Leaflets elliptic-lanceolate, obtuse. (Desf. Arb.) A 

 middle-sized tree Persia, and found also near the Cas- 

 pian Sea. Height 30 ft. to 40 ft. Introduced in 1822. 

 Nothing is known of its flowers and fruit ; but it 



strongly resembles G. sinensis (of which it is, probably, 



only a variety) in its leaves, general appearance, and 



habit. 



Variety. 



G. c. 2 subvire*cens Hurt., Fevier verdatre, Fr., is mentioned in the 

 Son Jardinier for 1836, as a variety of this species. 



Other Sort* of Gleditschia. Every modification of the species of this genus 

 is so interesting, both in point of the elegance of its foliage, and the singularity 

 of its prickles, that new varieties have been eagerly sought after by cultivators ; 

 and the genus seems particularly favourable to this desire, from the tendency 

 of seedling plants to sport. Hence there are several names in collections, of 



