XXII. iiHAMNA CEjE : COLLET/^. 



179 



base by the permanent tube of the calyx, tricoccous, dehiscent. (Don's 

 Mill.) 



Leaves, when present, simple, opposite, stipulate, deciduous ; very minute, 

 and quite entire, i^ojcf/-* axillary, fascicled, or racemose; and, when the 

 leaves are absent, rising from beneath the base of the spines. Much- 

 branched shrubs, with divaricating, decussately opposite branches, and spiny 

 branchlets. 



-a I. C. ho'rrida L?'f//. The bristly Colletia. 



Identification. Lindl. in Eot. Reg. ? Ad. Brong. 



Synonyme. C. ftrox Gill, et Hook, in Bot. Mis. 1. 154. t. 44. .3. 



Engravings. Bot. Reg., t. 1776. ; and our fig. 269. 



Spec. Char., Sfc. Spines rigid, simple, or much branched. Peduncles mostly 

 in pairs. Calyx ovate-oblong. Stamens sessile. (Lindl.) A spiny shrub, 

 evergreen, from the colour of its branches and branchlets. Chili and 

 Mendoza, on mountains. Height 3 ft. to 4 ft. Introduced in 1S23. 

 Flowers greenish wliite, stained with dull purple ; May to July. Berry 

 whitish, about the size of a small pea ; ripe in Sept. 



The young branches are furnished with " bright 

 green sawed scales" as leaves . they are placed oppo- 

 site, and at the base of each is a small stipule. The v,^^i 

 leaves and stipules speedily fall off, " leaving the ^^^^^ 

 branches to act as leaves, by the aid of their soft par- 

 enchyma, with which they are clothed in the form of 

 hark." Hence, plants of any size appear one mass of 

 naked spiny green branches in winter ; and, iu summer, 

 haviijg leaves and flowers all over the points of the 

 branchlets. It is a most desirable addition to our 

 evergreen shrubs ; and, as it escaped the winter of 

 1837-8, it may be safely recommended as hardy, for cli- 

 mates not much colder than that oi' London. It grows 

 in common garden soil, in a dry situation, fully exposed 

 to the sun. It has not yet been propagated otherwise 

 than by Chilian seeds, which are frequently received 

 under the name of Retanilla. We have no doubt, 

 however, that it might be increased by layers, or by 

 cuttings in sand under a glass. 





J^lf 



269. Coll6tia hdrrida. 



Other Species of Colletia. There are plants in the London gardens, under 

 the name of C. spinosa and C. idicina, which we consider merely as varieties 

 of C. horrida ; though the former has white flowers, and the latter broader 

 leaves than those which we have described. They are considered more ten- 

 der than C. horrida ; but this may possibly be owing to the plants having been 



270. CoUitia ulidna. C. E'pheOli. Colletia s^mosa. 



younger. C. 'E'phedra Vent. Choix, t. 16. (the 7?hamnus Ephedra Domh., and 

 the Retanilla i'^phedra Brong.) is said to have survived the criterion winter 

 at Liverpool. In fg. 270., a represents C. jdicina ; b, C. 'phedra (Reta- 

 nilla "phedra Brong.) ; and c, C. spinosa. 



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