620 HIBISCUS HIPPOPHAE 



La fteine.Rose coloured ; single. 



Monstrosus. White with dark purple centre ; single. 



Pulcherrimus. Pink and white ; double. 



Puniceus. Red ; double. 



Rubis. Ruby-coloured ; single. 



Souvenir de C'/ias. Lebreton. Lilac purple ; double. 



Totus albus. Pure and wholly white ; single. 



Variegatus. Foliage white, variegated ; flowers double, purple. 



HIPPOPHAE. EL^AGNACEjE. 



Two species of deciduous, willow-like trees and shrubs found in 

 Europe and the temperate regions of Asia. Flowers unisexual, the sexes 

 on different trees, inconspicuous and of no beauty. Leaves alternate, 

 scaly beneath. Fruit an orange-coloured or yellow, roundish, juicy berry. 

 The genus is allied only to Elaeagnus and Shepherdia ; Elaeagnus differs 

 in its bisexual flowers and scaly, silvery fruits ; and Shepherdia has 

 opposite leaves. (For cultivation, see H. rhamnoides.) 



H. RHAMNOIDES, Linnceus. SEA BUCKTHORN. 



(Bot. Mag., t. 8016.) 



A deciduous shrub, sometimes a tree 30 to 40 ft. high, the whole of the 

 younger parts of the plant covered with silvery grey scales ; twigs stiff, 

 frequently spine-tipped. Leaves scarcely stalked, linear, i to 3 ins. long, 

 \ to in. wide ; tapered at both ends, upper surface dark greyish green, and 

 not so scaly as the silvery grey under-surface. Flowers very small, produced 

 in April along the twigs of the previous year in short axillary clusters ; each 

 flower solitary in the axil of a deciduous bract. Fruit an orange-coloured berry, 

 between globose and egg-shaped, |- to in. long, shortly stalked ; in colour by 

 September. 



Native of Europe (including Britain) and temperate Asia. With its narrow, 

 silvery leaves and brightly coloured berries clustered thicky on the branches 

 from autumn until February, the sea buckthorn stands out remarkably distinct 

 from all others in our gardens. Its beauty is so striking that it ought to be 

 indispensable to every garden where winter effects are desired. Whilst it is, 

 as the popular name suggests, frequently found on sea-shores, it thrives 

 perfectly well in inland districts. At Kew it succeeds admirably at the margin 

 of water, and in the ordinary soil of the gardens. It is not generally known 

 that the plants are unisexual, so that the female one alone bears fruit, and 

 then only if a male plant be growing near enough for the flowers to become 

 pollinated. It is best grown in groups of about six females to one male. The 

 pollen is carried by wind. Solitary female plants can be fertilised by hand, 

 which is best done by waiting until the pollen of the male plant is ripe shown 

 by the little shower of yellow dust when the branch is tapped and then 

 cutting off a branch and shaking it over the female plant. It would be a 

 useful thing if nurserymen who stock this shrub would graft a piece of male 

 on female plants. Perhaps no other fruiting shrub is so attractive as this for 

 so long a time. However pressed by hunger, birds will not eat the berries, 

 which are filled with an intensely acid, yellowish juice. 



Propagation may be effected by seeds or by layers. The latter is the 

 simpler way of obtaining plants whose sex is known. There appears to be no 

 way of distinguishing seedlings until they flower. 



