XXII. JJHAMNA CEiE : C'EANO THUS. 



181 



Spec. Char., Sfc. Leaves ovate-oblong, obtuse, acutely serrated, smooth above, 

 hoary and downy beneath, Th^rse elongated, axillary, with a downy rachis. 

 Pedicels smooth. (iJo^'s xTfi//.)' A sub-evergreen shrub. Mexico. Height 

 6ft. to ]Oft. Introduced in 1818. Flovvers bright blue; May tp Sep- 

 tember. Fruit black, enclosing 3 seeds ; ripe in October. 



rariely. 



mt C a. 2 intermedins, C. intermedins Horf., has the 

 habit of C. azureus, with pale flowers, like those 

 of C. americanus, varying with different shades of 

 blue. It was raised by Mr. Masters of Canter- 

 bury, from seeds of C. azureus fecundated by C. 

 americanus. 



A very handsome shrub, profusely covered with brilliant 

 celestial blue flowers in large panicles. In iNIexico its bark 

 is considered as a febrifuge. It is the most robust-growing 

 species of the genus, attaining, in 3 or 4 years from seed, 

 the height of 5 or 6 feet, or more, against a wall. It was 

 at first treated as a green-hoase plant, but lately it has been 

 found to be nearly as hardy as the North American species. 

 In the winter ot 1837-8 these plants were greatly injured, 

 but none of them killed. North of London the plant is 

 less vigorous. 



s 3. C. (a.) thyrsiflo^rus Esch. 



273. C. a^iircus. 



The Thyrse-flowered Ceanothus. 



Fl. Bor. Am., 1. p. 12-'). ; Don's 



Identification. Esch. in Mera. Acad. St. Petersburg (1826) ; Hook 



Mill., 2. p. 37. ; Tor. and Gray, 1. p. 266. 

 Synnnyme. C. ovatus cyaneus Booth. Baumann, S;c. 

 Engraving. Ourjig. . in p. 



Spec, Char., 4'c. Leaves oval, 3-nerved, serrulated, smooth. Stem many- 

 angled ; panicle thyrsoid in the axillary branches. {Doit's Mill.) A sub- 

 evergreen shrub, or small tree. Monterey, Upper Californ a, and north- 

 west coast of North America. Height in America 5 ft. to 20 ft. Intro- 

 duced in ? 1830. Flowers bright blue ; May to November. Fruit black; 

 ripe about a month after flowering. 



In its native country, in favourable situations, this species becomes a small 

 tree, with a stem sometimes as thick as a man's arm, and strongly angular 

 branches. In British gardens it forms a free-flowering highly ornamental 

 shrub, with much of the .habit of C. azureus ; from w hich it chiefly differs 

 in having the flowers in a close, instead of in an elongated, thyrse. Not- 

 withstanding this difference, we consider it as only a variety of that species. 



34 at 4. C. VELUTiS'Us Doug. The weivety-leaved Ceanothus. 



Identification. Hook. Flor. Bor. Amer., 1. p. 125. ; and Tor. and Gray, 1. p. 26-5. 

 Engravings. Hook. Flor. Bor. Araer., 1. t. 45. ; and our ^g. 274. 



Spec. Char., 4"c. Branches somewhat pendulous. 

 Leaves orbicular, elliptical or elliptical ovate, obtuse, 

 subcordate, glandularly crenate, serrulate, coria- 

 ceous, glabrous, and shining (as if varnished) above, 

 velvet}', canescent, and strongly 3-ribbed beneath. 

 Panicles axillary, elongated, on rather long pe- 

 duncles. (Tor. and Gray.) A shrub, probably 

 sub-evergreen. North-west coast of North America, 

 on snbal|)ine hills. Height 3 ft. to 8 ft. Not intro- 

 duced. Flowers white. Fruit dry, 2 3-seeded. 



This is apparently a very desirable species ; and, as 

 It is so abundant as to cover the whole declivities of \^ 

 hills, forming thickets very difficult to penetrate, we 

 have no doubt that it will soon be introduced. 

 Branches nearly glabrous. The leaves abound with an aromatic resin. 



N 3 



274. C. velutlnus. 



