326 CELASTRUS CELTIS 



a large pea, green until the valves split open, then showing the yellow interior 

 and the red covering of the seeds. 



Native of the provinces of Hupeh and Szechuen in China ; discovered by 

 Henry, but introduced by Wilson for Messrs Veitch about 1900. It is appar- 

 ently quite hardy both at Kew "and Coombe Wood, and is a handsome and 

 distinct climber, well marked by the glaucous under-surface of the leaves and 

 the terminal inflorescence. 



C. LATIFOLIUS, Hemsley. 



A deciduous, unisexual shrub of striking appearance and remarkable vigour ; 

 ultimately 10 ft. high and 20 to 30 ft. through, with strong, spreading branches 

 prominently marked with pale lenticels, becoming corky the second year. 

 Leaves much larger than in any other hardy species ; from 4 to 8 ins. long, by 

 2^ to 6 ins. wide ; broadly oval or almost orbicular, with a short, abrupt, blunt 

 apex, shallow rounded teeth at the margin, and a short stalk from to i in. 

 long. Flowers small, greenish, produced in a terminal panicle 4 to 6 ins. long 

 and 2 ins. wide. Fruit a roundish, obscurely three-sided capsule \ in. across ; 

 when the valves of the capsule burst open, they show the orange-coloured inner 

 surface and the bright red, fleshy covering of the seeds. 



Native of the Hupeh province of China ; introduced by Messrs Veitch in 

 1900. A plant has flowered with great freedom for some years past at Kew ; 

 but as it is a male, and no female plant is at present old enough to blossom, 

 fruits are as yet unknown in this country. But as large numbers of plants are 

 now scattered over the country, it will no doubt soon be seen in fruit. The 

 dioecious character of the species is a disadvantage in gardens, as it is necessary 

 to have two plants to obtain fruits, which with such large, spreading ones as 

 this is not always convenient. 



C. SCANDENS, Linnceus. STAFF-TREE. 



A deciduous, unisexual climber with twining branches, running freely over 

 trees, shrubs, hedges, etc., in a wild state. Leaves ovate or obovate, elliptical, 

 2 to 4 ins. long, finely and irregularly toothed ; the apex sharply pointed, 

 and either short and abrupt or long and tapering. Flowers in terminal 

 racemes or panicles, small, yellowish white, of little beauty. Fruit in heavy, 

 cylindrical masses 2 or 3 ins. long, each fruit at first the size of a large 

 pea with three valves, which eventually split open and show their orange- 

 coloured inner surface, and at the same time expose the brilliant scarlet pulpy 

 covering of the seeds. It is then an object of singular beauty. 



Introduced by Peter Collinson in 1736, this climber has never become 

 widely cultivated. Apparently it does not fruit with the freedom that renders 

 it one of the most beautiful autumnal plants of the eastern United States, 

 where it is a native. Most, if not all, plants are unisexual, so that one 

 of each sex should be planted together to form one tangle. Visitors to 

 Niagara Falls will recall the grace and beauty of this climber on Goat Island, 

 where it is very abundant, and, along with Vitis bicolor, gives an effect of 

 almost tropical luxuriance. 



CELTIS. NETTLE-TREES. URTICACE^:, 



A group of deciduous, unarmed trees, sometimes shrubs, allied to the 

 elms, consisting of fifty to sixty species, a small proportion only of which 

 are hardy. They are found in S.E. Europe, the ^)rient, N. America, and 

 China. Leaves alternate, mostly three-veined, and unequal-sided at the 



