

CHAP. XXXV. flHAMNA N CEJE. 523 



name. Younger branches rather rlammy. Flowers solitary on lateral peduncles. (Dec. Prod., 

 ii. p. 17.) An undershrub, growing to the height of 2 ft., in woods, and on the banks of rivers in 

 Georgia ; producing its white Howers in July and August, which are succeeded by dark-coloured 

 berries. Introduced in ISi'O ; but we have never seen it in British gardens. 



* 9. P. CORIA V CEUS Pursh. The coriaceous-leaved Winter Berry. 



Identification. Pursh FL Sept. Amcr., 1. p. 221. ; Dec. Prod., 2. p. 17. ; Don's Mill., 2. p. 21. 



Synonymcs. I', glabcr ll'at.t. 



Engraving. Wats. Dend. I5rit, t. 27., under the name of P. gKiber. 



Spec. Char., fyc. Evergreen. Leaf lanceolate, with a wedge-shapcd base, coriaceous, glabrous, 



glossy, entire. Flowers in short, sessile, axillary corymbs, many in a corymb. (Dec. Prod., ii. 



p. 17.) A handsome, tall, evergreen shrub, having the general aspect of /'lex Dahoon ; found in 



sandy woods near the banks of rivers in Georgia, and introduced in 1820. 



Varieties. This species varies, with leaves broader, obovate-lanceolate, and acuminate; and 

 narrower, lanceolate, and acute, (Dec. Prod., ii. p. 17.) 



App. i. Other Species of Prmos hardy or half-hardy. 



P. dioicus Vahl is a native of the Island of Montserrat, and considered as hardy, though not yet 

 introduced. P. nitidus Vahl is also a native of Montserrat, and is supposed to require a green-house. 

 There are two stove species described by Swartz natives of the Caribbee Islands, which are trees 

 growing from 20 ft. to 30 ft. high. They are found on mountains in their native countries ; and 

 hence may, probably, be hardy enough to be kept in British green-houses, though it is customary 

 to consider natives of the West India Islands as stove plants, whether they are natives of the hills 

 or of the plains. 



CHAP. XXXV. 



OF THE HARDY LIGNEOUS PLANTS OF THE ORDER 



DISTINCTIVE Characteristics. Calyx 4 5-cleft; aestivation valvate. Corolla 

 of 4 5 petals ; in some absent. Petals cucullate, or convolute, inserted into 

 the orifice of the calyx. Stamens 4 5, opposite the petals, perigynous. Ovary 

 superior, or half-superior, 2-, 3-, or 4-celled, surrounded by a fleshy disk. 

 Ovules one in a cell, erect, as are the seeds. Fruit fleshy and indehiscent 

 or dry, and separating into 3 divisions. Trees or shrubs, often spiny, and 

 generally deciduous. Leaves simple, alternate, very seldom opposite, with 

 minute stipules. Flowers axillary or terminal. (Lindl. Introd. to N. /) The 

 species are natives of Europe or North America, and some of them of India; 

 they are ornamental in British gardens and shrubberies, chiefly from the 

 variety of their foliage, and from their berries ; but some of them, as Ceanothus, 

 from their flowers. They are all of easy culture. The genera containing 

 hardy ligneous plants are six^ which are characterised as follo%v.< : 



ZI'ZYPHUS Tourn. Calyx spreading, 5-cleft; its upper part separating all 

 round from the lower, in the manner as if cut from it ; the lower persistent, 

 situated under the fruit, and adhering to it more or less. Petals 5, upon 

 a glandular disk that is adnate to the calyx. Stamens inserted in front of 

 the petals. Styles 2 3, simple. Fruit an ovoid drupe ; the nut 2-celled, 

 rarely 1 3-celled. Seed suborbicular, compressed. Shrubs or small trees. 

 Leaves alternate, 3-nerved. Stipules spinescent. Flowers axillary. Drupes 

 mucilaginous and eatable. (Dec. Prod., ii. p. 19.) The species are deciduous 

 shrubs, natives of Europe or Asia, one of them bearing eatable fruit. 



jPALiu^Rus Tourn. The flower like that of Zfzyphus, except as follows. 

 Styles 3. Fruit dry, indehiscent, orbicular, girded with a broad mem- 

 branaceous wing, 3-celled. Seed ovate. The habit that of Zizyphus. 

 (Dec. Prod., ii. p. 22.) The species are deciduous shrubs or low trees, 

 natives of Europe, or Asia, and highly ornamental in gardens, from their 

 shining leaves, which are nerved ; and their abundance of rich greenish 

 yellow flowers, which arc succeeded by fruit of rather a singular form. 



