176 AKEBIA 



stems will fix themselves by twining round any wire, small branch, etc., 

 with which they may come in contact. Their chief need in cultivation, 

 after the provision of a suitable support, is a good loamy soil. They can 

 be propagated by layers and by cuttings of the stems and roots. Layering 

 is the least troublesome. Cuttings should be made from wood just getting 

 firm, and placed in gentle heat. "Akebia" is an adaptation of the 

 Japanese name for these shrubs. 



A. LOBATA, Decaisne. 



(Bot. Mag., t. 7485.) 



A deciduous, twining shrub of vigorous habit. Leaves smooth, composed 

 of three stalked leaflets, the stalk of the terminal one thrice the length of 

 those of the lateral ones. Leaflets broadly ovate, i| to 4 ins. long, the margins 

 irregularly and shallowly lobed, the apex notched. Male and female flowers 

 are borne on the same raceme, which is more or less pendulous and 3 to 5 

 ins. long. Male flowers small, very numerous, \ in. diameter, pale purple, and 

 confined to the terminal part of the raceme. Female flowers basal and much 

 larger, usually two in number, each about f in. in diameter, the three concave 

 sepals being dark lurid purple. Fruit at first is a sausage-shaped body, 3 ins. 

 long and i^ ins. wide, pale violet ; but when ripe it splits open from the 

 base, revealing rows of black seeds imbedded in white pulp. 



This remarkable and interesting climber was introduced to Kew in 1897, 

 being a native of China and Japan. It has proved to be perfectly hardy and 

 a luxuriant grower, but flowering as it does early in April, its blossoms are 

 often destroyed by frost, and its remarkable and highly coloured fruits in 

 consequence not often seen out-of-doors. 



A. QUINATA, Decaisne. 



(Bot. Mag., t. 4864.) 



' A twining shrub, 30 to 40 ft. in length, evergreen in mild winters and in 

 warm localities, but losing its leaves where the conditions are more severe. 

 Leaves with slender stalks 3 to 5 ins. long, carrying normally five (sometimes three 

 or four) radially arranged leaflets. Leaflets smooth, oblong or obovate, distinctly 

 notched at the apex, i^ to 3 ins. long, with stalks about \ in. long. Flowers 

 produced on slender, pendent racemes, very fragrant ; males in. across, with 

 pale purple, reflexed sepals, and occupying the terminal part of the raceme ; 

 females (usually two) i to i^ ins. across, dark chocolate purple, the sepals 

 broadly elliptical and concave. Fruit 2j to 3 ins. long, in shape like a thick 

 sausage, greyish violet or purplish in colour, containing numerous seeds 

 immersed in white pulp. 



First introduced in 1845 from the Island of Chusan by Robt. Fortune, 

 this climber has since been found to be native also of Japan, China, and 

 Corea. It is perfectly hardy in a sheltered dell at Kew, but does not develop 

 its handsome fruit out-of-doors. In the south-western counties it succeeds 

 admirably, and is valued for the charming, spicy fragrance of its flowers, at 

 times perceptible yards away from the plant, although even there the fruit 

 is never abundantly borne. It has been produced in the garden of the late Mr 

 Pember, yicars Hill, Lymington, among other places. The plant is extremely 

 luxuriant in gardens at Pallanza, on the shores of Lake Maggiore. 



