244 



ARBORETUM ET FRUTICETUM BRITANNICUM. 



an object at once singular, picturesque, and beautiful, whether when covered 

 with blossoms, or with its fine reddish pods. 



Genus XVI. 



COLU^TEA R. Br. The Colutea, or Bladder Senna. Lin. Si/st. 



Diadelphia Decandria. 



Identification. R. Br. in Hort. Kew., ed. 2., vol. 4. p. 325. ; Dec. Prod., 2. p. 270. ; Don's IMilL, 2. 



p. 244. 

 Synonymes. Baguenaudier, Fr. ; Senna falsa, Ital. ; Blasenbaum, Ger. 

 Derivation. From kolouo, to amputate. The shrubs are said to die if the branches are lopped off. 



Koloutea is also the name of a plant mentioned by Theophrastus. 



Gen. Char. Calyx 5-toothed. Vexillum flat, bicallose, larger than the keel, 

 which is obtuse. Stamens diadelphous. Stigma lateral, hooked under the 

 top of the style. Sti/le bearded longitudinally behind. Legume stipitate, 

 ovate, boat-formed, inflated, scarious. {Don's Mill.) 



Leaves compound, alternate, stipulate, deciduous ; impari-pinnate : stipules 

 small. Floivers usually yellow, axillary, the racemes shorter than the leaves, 

 and succeeded by bladdery legumes. Shrubs, deciduous ; natives of the 

 Middle and South of Europe, the North of Africa, and Nepal. 



All the kinds that have hitherto been introduced into Europe are probably 

 only varieties of one species. They are readily increased by seeds or cuttings 

 of the roots on any common soil. 



34 1. C. arbore'scens Lin. The arborescent Colutea, or Bladder Senna. 



Dec. Prod., 2. p. 270. ; Don's Mill., 2. p. 245. 



Identification. Liu. Sp. 1045.; Dec. A-str., No. 1 

 Synonyme. C. hirsflta Roth Fl. Germ. 1. p. 305. 

 Engravings. N. Du Ham., 1. t. 22. ; Schmidt Arb., t. 117, 



Spec. Char., Sj'c. Leaflets elliptical, retuse 



duncles bearing about 6 yellow flowers. Callosities 

 of the standard short. Legumes closed. {Dec. 

 Prod.) A rapid-growing shrub. Middle and South 

 of Europe, Italy, and on Mount Vesuvius is found 

 even on the ascent to the crater, where there are 

 scarcely any other plants. Height 12 ft. to 14 ft. 

 Introduced in 1570. Flowers yellow ; June to 

 August. Legume bladder-like, reddish ; ripe in 

 September. 



The bladders, when pressed, explode with a crack- 

 ling noise. On the Continent, the leaves have been 

 recommended as a substitute for senna, and they are 

 also said to aflTord a grateful food for cattle. The 

 seeds, in doses of a drachm or two, are said to excite 

 vomiting. In British gardens, the plant is chiefly 

 valuable as a bulky fast-growing shrub, of the easiest 

 culture, and fit for almost any situation. 



Bot. Mag., t. 81. ; and o\XT fig. 400. 

 Pe- 



400. ColCiCea arborescens. 



34 2. C. (a.) crue'nta Ait. 



The h\oo{\\ -flowered Colutea, or Oriental Bladder 



Sen7ia. 



Identification. Ait. Hort. Kew., 3. p. 55. ; Dec. Astr., No. 3. ; Don's Mill., 2. p 245. 

 Synonymes. C. orientalis I.itm. Diet. \. p. 3d3., III. 624. f. 3., AM)m //rti. 1. 1.23. ; C. sangulnea 



Pall. ; C. aptera Schmidt Arh. t. 119. ; C. hCimilis Scop. 

 Engravings. Lam. 111., 624. f. 3. , N. Du Ham., 1. t. 23. ; Schmidt Arb., t 119. ; Krause, t. 105. : 



and our fig. 401. 



Spec. Char., Sfc. Leaflets obovate, emarginate, glaucous. Peduncles bearing i 

 4 5 flowers. Callosities of the standard obtuse, very small. Legumes 

 opening at the tip. Corolla, in colour, between red and saffron-coloured, j 

 with a yellow spot at the base of the standard. {Dec. Prod.) A glaucous i 



