566 



AHBOKETUM AND FRUTICETIM. 



PART III. 



about the middle of August. In Britain, the tree is seldom seen in flower, 



there being but few old specimens. 



Geography, History, &c. Virgilia lutea is found chiefly in the western part 

 of Tennessee, on gentle declivities, on a loose, deep, and fertile soil ; where it 

 is usually associated with Aforus rubra, Gymnocladus canadensis, Gleditschm, 

 c/uglans, and other trees which delight in good soil. It was discovered by the 

 younger Michaux ; and plants of it were first brought to England by Mr. Lyon, 

 in 1812; and seeds having been since frequently sent over, the plant is now 

 to be met with in most collections. The wood is fine-grained and soft ; 

 and remarkable for its deep yellow colour. This colour is given out freely 

 to water, but cannot be fixed by alum, like most other vegetable colours. 

 Very little use is made of the tree in America; and, in Europe, it is planted 

 solely for purposes of ornament and botanical interest. It is rather later in 

 coming into leaf than most of the other pinnate-leaved Leguminaceae, and its 

 leaves drop very early in autumn, previously becoming of a fine yellow. 



Soil, Situation, $c. An open airy situation is desirable, in order that the 

 tree may ripen its wood ; and, to facilitate the same purpose where the climate 

 is cold, the soil ought to be dry rather than rich. In the London nurseries, 

 it is propagated chiefly by seeds. 



Statistics. In the neighbourhood of London, the highest plants are at the Duke of Devonshire's 

 villa at Chiswick ; but, as they are crowded among other shrubs, they are not handsome; in the 

 Chelsea Botanic Garden, there is a tree 20 ft. high, which flowers annually ; in the London Hor- 

 ticultural Society's Garden, there is one 10 years planted, which, in 1834, was 13ft. high; in 

 the Mile End Nursery, there is a tree 18 ft. high. In Surrey, at Claremont, there is one 20 ft. high. 

 In Sussex, at West Dean, one, 9 years planted, is 18ft. high, "in Berkshire, at White Knights, one, 25 

 years planted, is 23ft. high : the diameter of the trunk is 5 in., and of the head 20 ft. In Essex, at 

 Hylands, 10 years planted, and 17 ft. high. In Pembrokeshire, at Golden Grove, 35 years planted, 

 and 17ft. high. In Suffolk, at Ampton Hall, 12 years planted, and lift. high. In" Ireland, near 

 Dublin, in the Cullenswood Nursery, 17 years planted, and 25ft. high. 



Commercial Statistics. Plants, in London, are 5s. each ; at Bollwyller 1 franc 

 and 50 cents ; and in New York, 50 cents. 



GENUS III. 



PIPTA'NTHUS Surf. 



THE PIPTANTHUS. 

 Monogynia. 



Lin. Syst. Decandria 



Identification. Swt. Fl.-Gard., 264. ; Don's Mill., 2. p. 112. 



Derivation. From pipto, to fall, and anthos, a flower ; from the flowers falling off very soon. 



Description, $c. There is only one species described or introduced, which 

 is a sub-evergreen bush or low tree. 



* P. NEPALE'NSIS Swt. The Nepal Piptanthus. 



Identification. Swt. Fl.-Gard., 264. ; Dec. Prod. ; Don's Mill.. 2. p. 112. 



Synonymes. Thermopsis Jaburnifolia D. Don Prod. Ft. Nep., p. 239. ; /4nagyris indica Wall. MSS.; 



Baptisia nepalcnsis Hook. Exot. Fl., t. 131. 



Engravings. Hook. Exot. Fl., t. 131. ; Swt. Fl.-Gard., t 2fi4. ; and our fig. 237. to a scale of 2 in. to 

 a foot, andfig. 238. representing a flower of the natural size. 



237 



Spec. Char., S(-c. Leaves trifoliolate ; 

 leaflets elliptical-oblong, acute, 

 broad. Stipules 2, large. The young 

 leaves are silky; and the flowers 

 are of a bright yellow, and are 

 much larger than those of the 

 common laburnum, to which they 

 bear a general resemblance. In 

 Nepal, the shrub grows to the 

 height of 8ft. or lOftj but it 

 sometimes exceeds this height in 



233 



