JASMINUM 659 



a slender, tapering tube, expanding at the mouth into normally five (some- 

 times more) spreading lobes. The berry-like fruits are normally twin, 

 but frequently only one develops. The species here described may be 

 distinguished as follows : 



A. LEAVES ALTERNATE. 

 * Calyx-lobes awl-shaped, about as long as the calyx-cup* 



1. Floridum. Leaflets three or five. 



2. Fruticans. Leaflets never more than three. 



** Calyx-lobes triangular, much shorter than the calyx-cup. 



3. Humile. Leaflets three ; flowers in clusters of up to four. 



4. Revolutum. Leaflets three or five, rarely seven ; flowers in clusters of six to twelve. 



5. Wallichianum. Leaflets five to eleven (rarely thirteen) ; flowers often in triplets. 



B. LEAVES OPPOSITE. 

 * Flowers yellow. 



6. Nudiflorum. Deciduous, winter-flowering ; leaflets small. 



7. Primulinum. Semi-evergreen, spring and summer flowering ; leaflets large. 



** Flowers white* 



8. Officinale. 



Provided the climatic conditions are suitable, the jasmines are easily 

 cultivated; they like a good loamy soil and a sunny position. All are 

 easily increased by cuttings of moderately ripened wood. Nudiflorum, 

 officinale, and floridum are seen at their best on walls ; primulinum will 

 in most places need winter protection. 



A curious jasmine has recently been introduced from W. China by Messrs 

 Bees of Liverpool, who have named it J. BEESIANUM. It is a climber of 

 vigorous growth, with slender grooved stems, slightly downy, especially 

 about the joints. Leaves opposite, ovate-lanceolate or lanceolate, i to 

 2 ins. long, \ to f in. wide, slender-pointed; dull dark green above, grey- 

 green beneath, with short down on both sides; stalk \ in. or less long. 

 Flowers one to three at the end of the shoot, each f to f in. long, rose- 

 coloured; calyx-lobes \ in. long, almost threadlike; flower-stalk \ in. long. 

 In spite of its unusual colour of flower, this plant has not as yet been 

 attractive. 



J. FLORIDUM, Bunge. 

 (Bot. Mag., t. 6719.) 



A nearly evergreen shrub of rambling habit ; branches angled, smooth. 

 Leaves alternate ; mostly composed of three leaflets, but occasionally five, 

 never apparently more. Leaflets oval, sometimes obovate or ovate, \ to i^ ins. 

 long, \ to f in. wide, pointed, smooth. Flowers yellow, in terminal cymose 

 clusters, usually produced from July onwards ; corolla \ to f in. long, the lobes 

 five, pointed. Calyx-lobes five, about \ in. long, awl-shaped. Fruit about the 

 size of a small pea, black. 



Native of China ;. cultivated in that country and Japan ; introduced by the 

 Earl of Ilchester about the middle of last century. It was originally dis- 

 covered in North China, but Henry found it frequently in Central China, 

 about Ichang. It is closely allied to J. revolutum, having alternate leaves and 

 yellow flowers, but differs in the longer, more slender calyx-lobes, and in 

 never having more than five leaflets to one leaf. It has long been grown on a 

 wail at Kevv, but is not so hardy as J. revoiuium. 



