IV. ANONA CE^. V. MENISPERMA CE^. 



39 



leaves; the outer petals are purple, and vary in colour in diffLrent plants; in 

 some being very dark, and in others light, inclining to yellow. All parts of 

 tlie tree have a rank, if not a fetid, smell : 

 and the fruit is relished by few persons ex- 

 cept the negroes, who call it papaw. The 

 fruit ripens in America in the beginning of 

 August, and is about 3 in. long and U in. 

 thick, oval, irregular, and swelling into in- 

 equalities. In British gardens, the plant is 

 always raised from Aniei'ican seeds ; and, to 

 thrive, it requires to be planted in sandy peat 

 or deep sand, and kept moist. In England 

 it may be considered as a curious, slow-grow- 

 ing, deciduous shrub, or low tree, well de- 

 serving a place in gardens, but which ought 

 always to be isolated, and at some distance 

 fi'om rapid-growing plants Relatively to 

 growth, it may beplaced near Dirca palustris, 

 some of the daphnes, or lUicium. 



Other Species of Asimina. A. parvijiora and A. grand'tJJvra are North 

 American shrubs, seldom growing higher in their native habitats than 1 ft. to 

 2 ft., and rather too tender for the climate of London. 



47. Asiviina triloba. 



Order V. MENISPERMA^CE^. 



Orb. Char. Flowers unisexual. Sej^als and petals similar. Stamens mona- 

 delphous, or rarely free. Ovaries soraewha connected at the base ; with 

 one or many styles ; many-celled. Fruit, in most, baccate or drupaceous, 

 one-seeded or many-seeded, oblique or lunulate, compressed, with the seeds 

 of the same form. Embryo curved or peripheric. Albumen none, or very 

 sparing and fleshy. (Doii's Mill.) Climbing or twining flexible shrubs, 

 natives of North America and Asia. 



Leaves simple, alternate, exstipulate, deciduous ; stalked, usually cordate 

 or peltate, palmately veined, and always with the middle nerve terminating 

 in an awn or point. Flowers in axillary racemes in most species, small. 

 The species in British gardens are included in the genera Menispermum 

 and Cocculus, which are thus contradistinguished : 



Menispe'rmum L. Sepals and petals quaternary. Male flowers with 15 



20 stamens. 

 Co'ccuLUs Bauh. Sepals and petals ternary. Male flowers with 6 stamens. 



Genus I. 



MENISPE'RMUM L. The 



MOONSEED. 



candria. 



Lin. Sijst. Dioe^cia Dode- 



Idcntificnfion. Tourn. ; Dec. Prod., 1. p. 102. ; Don's Mill, 1. p. 112. ; Tor. and Gray, 1. p. 48. 



Si/7iiin>/ii)cs. Menisperme, Fr. ; Mondsaame, Ger. 



Deriviiiion. From mene, the moon, and sperma, a seed ; from the seeds being crescent-sh.iped. 



Gen. Char. Sepals and petals disposed in a quaternary order, in two or three 

 series. Male flowers with 16 to 20 stamens ; female flowers with 2 to 4 

 ovaries. Dmpc baccate, roundish-kidncy-shaped, 1-seeded. Climbing 

 shrubs natives of North America and Dauria. 



D 4 



