: LY'CIUM. 



665 



A. hardy vigorous-growing, plant, of a 

 much more ligneous character than S. 

 Dulcamara, sub-evergreen, and covered 

 with flowers nearly the whole summer. 

 As it will grow in any soil, and is readily 

 propagated by cuttings, it promises to be 

 of great value as an ornamental climber, 

 for rapidly covering naked walls. If tied 

 to a stake, and thus forced to grow erect, 

 it will throw out a great number of lateral 

 branchlets, at the end of every one of 

 which is produced a bunch of flowers. 



The art of hybridisation has not yet 

 been practised with the shrubby species of 

 6'olanum, otherwise it is not improbable 

 that some hybrids might be originated be- 

 tween the South American and the British 

 species, which would be as hardy as those 

 which have been described. 



GENUS II. 



LiJ iL ^ 



LY'CIUM L. THE Box THORN. Lin. Syst. Pentandria Monogynia. 



Identification. Lin. Gen., 1262. ; Don's Mill., 4. p. 457. 



Synonymcs. Jasminoides Niss. in Act. Gall. 1711.; Matrimony Vine, Amer. ; Lycien, Fr. ; Eocks- 

 dorn, Ger. ; Licio, Hal. One species, L. barbarum, is commonly called the Duke of Argyll's tea 

 tree, from the circumstance of a tea plant (Thea viridis) having been sent to the Duke of Argyll 

 at the same time as this plant, and the labels having been accidentally changed. 



Derivation. Derived from Lycta, in Asia Minor ; hence the lukion of Dioscorides ; a name given by 

 him to a thorny shrub, which was supposed by Dr. Sibthorp to have been the .Rhamnus infectbrius, 

 but which Dr. Royle, with greater probability, regards as identical with a species of Btrberis 

 which he has denominated Herberts Z/ycium. 



Gen. Char. Calyx urceolate, regularly 5-toothed, or irregularly 3 5- cleft, 

 permanent. Corolla funnel-shaped or tubular ; limb 5- or 10-cleft, or toothed, 

 imbricate in aestivation, sometimes plicate. Stamens 5, usually exserted ; 

 filaments bearded, and widened at the base. Anthers cordate, dehiscing 

 lengthwise. Berry roundish, 2-celled. Seeds numerous, reniform. (Don's 

 Mill.) 



Leaves simple, alternate, exstipulate, deciduous ; entire or nearly entire, 

 solitary or in fascicles. Flowers in peduncles, extra-axillary or terminal, 

 solitary, twin, or umbellate, rarely corymbose ; white, yellow, rose-coloured, 

 purple, or blue. Shrubs, deciduous, scandent, and usually somewhat spinose ; 

 natives of Europe, Asia, and Africa ; readily propagated by cuttings of the 

 branches or of the roots. 



1 1. L. EUROPIUM L. The European Box Thorn. 



Identification. Lin. Syst, 228. ; Don's Mill., 4. p. 458. 



Si/nonymes. L. salicifiSlium Mill. Diet. No. 3. ; Jasminoides aculeatum Mich. : Spino santo, Spino di 

 ' Cristo, Ital. 

 Engravings. Mich. Gen., t. 105. f. 1. ; Mill. Icon., t. 171. f. 2. ; and our fig. 1292. 



Spec. Char., $c. Branches erect, loose. Buds spinescent. Leaves fascicled, 

 obovate-lanceolate, obtuse, or spathulate, bent obliquely. Flowers twin or 

 solitary. Corolla funnel-shaped. Stamens exserted, but shorter than the 

 limb. Calyx 5-cleft, ruptured at the side. Corollas pale violet, reticulated 

 with red veins ; tube greenish. (Don's Mill.) A rambling shrub, with long 

 . slender shoots, and prone to throw up innumerable suckers. South of 

 Europe. Stem 20ft. to 30ft. Introduced in 1730. Flowers violet; 

 May to August. Fruit bright scarlet or yellow; ripe in September. 



