126 



ARBORETUM ET FRUTICtTU.M BRITANNICUM. 



According to Micliaux, the American horsechestnut is commonly a bush or 

 low tree, from 10 ft. to 12 ft. in height ; but it is sometimes 30 or 33 feet high, 

 trunk 12 or 15 inches in diameter. He found it only on the banks of the Ohio ; 

 but Torrey and Gray give as its habitats the western parts of Penns} Ivania, 

 Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky. The tree in the Hort. Soc. Garden is of equally 

 vigorous growth with the common horsechestnut ; the leaves are larger, and 

 of a bright green : on the supposition that this is the ^. ohioensis of Mickx. and 

 Tor.^- Grm/, we have no doubt in our own mind that it is only a variety of the 

 common horsechestnut. Dr. Lindley, however, is of a different opinion, con- 

 sidering it as a distinct species. (See Bot. Reg., 1838, t. 31.) 



2 3. JE. (H.) rubicu'nda Lms. The red^ish-Jlowcred ^Esculus, or Horse 



chestnut. 



Identification, Loiseleur Herb. Amat. ; Dec. Prod., 1. p. 597. ; Don's Mill, 1. p. 652. 



Synonymes. jE. carnea Hort., and LindL Bot. Reg. ; M. r6sea Hort. ; M. coccinea Hort. ; JE. 



Hippocastanum var. rubiciindum Schubert ; /E. \Vats6n/aa Spach ; Marronier rubicund, Fr. ; 



scharlachrothe Rosslcastanie, Ger. ; Whitley's fine scarlet. 

 Engravings. Herb. Amat., t. 367. ; Hayne Abbild., t. 22. ; Bot. Reg., 1. 10-56., as ^. carnea ; Wats. 



Dendr., 1. 121., as JE. carnea ; the plate of this species in Arb. Brit., 1st edit., vol. v. ; and our 

 fig. 168. 



Spec. Char., ^c. Petals 4, with the claws shorter than the calyx. The 

 flowers are scarlet, and very ornamental ; the leaves of a deeper green than 

 those of any other sort, and they have a red spot at the base of the petioles 

 of the leaflets on the imder side. The flowers come out of a dark red, and 

 die off" still darker. Fruit prickly. A deciduous tree, below the middle 

 size. ? Hybrid from North America, Height 20 ft. to 30 ft. Cultivated 

 in 1820. Flowers red; May and June. Fruit brown; ripe in October. 



It is doubtful whether this tree is a native of North America, or originated 

 in British gardens. It passes under different names in different nurseries. 



168. ..35'sculus (Hippoc&stanum) rubictinda. 



as will be seen by our list of synonymes, and may be considered as differing 

 little, if at all, from jE. carnea Lindl. It is distinguished from Pav/a rubra 

 b} its larger and rougher leaves ; and from JE. Hippocastanum by the leaves 



