242 



ARBORETUM ET FRUTICETUM BRITANNICUM. 



This species has a thick root and branching stem, with grey bark. The 

 branches are alternate j at first upright, and then decumbent. The whole plant 

 has a singular appearance, more especially when just going out of flower. It 

 is generally propagated by separating the offsets, or by seeds, or it may be 

 grafted on C. arborescens. Grafted on this species, especially when the stock 

 is 10 or 12 feet high, it forms a singularly picturesque pendulous tree; beau- 

 tiful not only when it is in leaf or in flower, but from the graceful lines formed 

 by its branches, even in the midst of winter, when they are completely stripped 

 of their leaves. 



Genus XIV. 



HALIMODE'NDRON Fisch. The Halimodendron, or Salt Tree 

 Lin. Syst. Diadelphia Decandria. 



Identification. Fisch. in Litt. ; Dec. Legum. Mem., 6. ; Prod., 2. p. 269. ; Don's Mill.. 2. p. 244. 

 Synnnyme. Halodendron Dec. M4m.. ined. in Sue. Pkys. Gen. March 1824, but not of Petit 



Thouars. 

 Derivation. From halimos, maritime, and dendron, a tree ; in reference to the habitat of the shrubs, 



which grow in dry naked salt fields, by the river Irtis, in Siberia. 



Gen. Char. Caly.x urceolately campanulate, with 5 short teeth. Keel obtuse, 

 straightish. Wings very acute, and auricled. Stamens diadelphous, about 

 equal in length. Style filiform, glabrous. Stigma terminal. Legume stipi- 

 tate, inflated, bladdery, hard, ovate, and few-seeded, depressed at the semi- 

 niferous suture. Seeds oval. (JDorCs Mill.) 



Leaves compound, alternate, stipulate, deciduous ; abruptly pinnate, with 

 2 pairs of leaflets : petioles and stipules spinose. Floiuers bluish pink, or 

 purplish, in 2 3-flowered peduncles. Shrubs, deciduous; natives of Europe 

 and Asia. 



Propagated by seeds, by cuttings of the roots, or by grafting on the common 

 laburnum, or on the Caragdna arborescens. 



^ 1. H. arge'nteum Dec. 



The ?,i\\eYy-leaved Halimodendron, or 

 Salt Tree. 



Identification. Dec. Prod., a. p. 269. ; Don's Mill., 2 p. 244. 



Synonymes. Rob(n! Halodendron Lin. fit. Suppl. 330., Pall. Fl. Ross. t. 36. 



Lam. in Pall. Itin. ed. Gall. App. ii. 3C0. t. S3, f. 1. 

 Engravings. Pall. Fl. Ross., t. 36. ; and onr fig. 397. 



Spec. Char., ^'c. Leaves hoary. Peduncles 2- flowered. 

 (Doll's Mill.) A shrub, known from the 'colour of its 

 leaves and branches. Native of Siberia in saline 

 steppes near the river Irtis. Height 

 4 ft. to 6 ft. Introduced in 1779. 

 Flowers bluish pink, fragrant ; May 

 to July. Legume inflated, brown ; 

 ripe in September. 



Varieties. DeCandolle mentions two 

 forms of this species : 



^ H. a. \ vulgdre Dec. Prod. 



Leaves hoary or silvery. 



Standard the same length as 



the keel. 



Sk H. a. 2 brachyscma Dec. Prod. 



(Bot. Mag., 1016.; and our /g. 398.) Leaves 



hoary or silvery. Standard shorter than t!ie 



wings and keel. St} le short. 



Caragana argtntea 





397 



argenteum. 



braclijiitm* 



