( I1AI'. XLI. 



LEGU.MINA C I .1 .. 



561 



CHAP. XXXIX. 



OF THE HALF-HARDY LIGNEOUS PLANTS OF THE ORDER 

 BURSERA^CEJS. 



235 



Balsatnodtndron gileadense Kunth, and Don's Mill., 2. p. 81. ; the Amjris 

 gilcadensis of Lin. (Vahl Symb., 1. p. 28. t. 11. ; and our fig. 235. represent- 

 ing a branch, drawn to our usual scale of 2 in. to 1ft, and Jig. 236. representing 

 the flower and fruit of the natural size), the Balm of Gilead tree, is a native cf 

 Arabia, with leaves palmately trifoliate, and small whitish flowers. There are 

 two or three varieties of it, which are^by some con- 

 sidered species, but none of them have yet been 236 

 introduced into Britain. Candrium Pimcla 

 Ktinig. (Don's Mill., 2. p. 85.) is a tree with com. 

 pound leaves, growing to the height of 50ft. in 

 the woods of Cochin-China and Java. 



Fagdstrum G. Don. (Don's MiU., p. 87.) is a 

 Cape genus, containing several species of ever- 

 green shrubs, with alternate pinnate leaves, some 

 of which may probably prove hardy ; but none of 

 which have hitherto been introduced. 



CHAP. XL. 



OF THE HALF-HARDY LIGNEOUS SPECIES OF THE ORDER 

 AM^RIDA^CEJE. 



Amyris toxifera Willd., the A. balsamffera of L. and Cat. Car. t 40., is a tree with compound 

 leaves, a native of Carolina, and growing to the height of 50ft. It is commonly kept in green- 

 houses ; but there can be little doubt, from the climate of its native country, that it would succeed 



against a conservative wall. The fruit is produced in racemes, and it is pearl-shaped and purple. 



eported to be poisonous. The 

 leaves, in a dried state, are highly cephalic. This species was introduced in 1820, but it is not common. 



From the trunk of the tree a juice distils as black as ink, which is reported to be poisonous. 



It well deserves a place in collections, as the representative of a genus containing various species 

 interesting in medicine and the arts. 



A 



veined 

 pepper 



. floridana Nutt. is a shrub, growing to the height of 10 ft. in Eastern Florida, wi 

 led, glandular, resinous, and fragrant leaves, and black berries, about the size of 1 

 When introduced, it will doubtless be found half-hardy. 



th reticulately 

 size of those of black 



CHAP. XLI. 



OF THE HARDY LIGNEOUS PLANTS OF THE ORDER LEGUMINA^CEJE. 



THE name of Leguminacese is applied to this extensive and truly natural 

 order, on account of the seeds of all the species being produced in leguminous 

 pods, bearing more or less resemblance to those of the common pea or bean; 

 and quite different from the siliquose pods of cruciferous plants. 



The Distinctive Characteristics are : Calyx with 5 divisions, either parti- 

 tions, teeth, or clefts, the odd one anterior to the axis of inflorescence. 

 Fruit a legume. Seed with the radicle next the hilum. (Lindley, Introd. 

 to N. S., and Key.} The ligneous species are trees and shrubs, for the 

 most part deciduous; and they are disposed through almost every part of 

 the world. The order contains some of our finest ornamental shrubs and low 

 trees, such as Robfm'a, Cytisus, Wistaria?, Genista, C/Mex, Amorpha, Halimo- 

 dendron, Acacia, Gleditschu'a, Cercis, and various others. It also contains 

 some considerable trees, which belong to the genera Robfm'a, Gleditschw, 

 Sophora, &c. The genera containing hardy ligneous plants are in number 

 twenty-three, which, after De Candolle and G. Don, we place in characterised 

 sections, and ascribe to them short characters, that are more or less contra- 

 distinctive. 



Q Q 2 



