Iv. ANONA CEH. V. MENISPERMA'CER, 39 
leaves ; the outer petals are purple, and vary in colour in different plants; in 
some being very dark, and in others light, inclining to yellow. All! parts of 
the tree have a rank, if not a fetid, smell ; 
and the fruit is relished by few persons ex- 
cept the negroes, who call it papaw. The 
fruit ripens in America in the beginning of 
August, and is about 3 in. long and 13 in. © 
thick, oval, irregular, and swelling into in- 
equalities. In British gardens, the plant is 
always raised from American seeds ; and, to 
thrive, it requires to be planted in sandy peat 
or deep sand, and kept moist. In England 
it may be considered asa curious, slow-grow- 
ing, deciduous shrub, or low tree, well de- 
serving a place in gardens, but which ought 
always to be isolated, and at some distance 
from rapid-growing plants. Relatively to 
growth, it may be placed near Dirca palustris, Tar 
some of the daphnes, or Illicium. 
Other Species of Asimina.— A. parvifléra and A. grandifiira are North 
American shrubs, seldom growing higher in their native habitats than 1 ft. to 
2ft., and rather too tender for the climate of London. 
ow 
« Asimina triloba. 
Orper V. MENISPERMA'CE. 
OrD. CHAR, Flowers unisexual. Sepals and petals similar. Stamens mona- 
delphous, or rarely free. Ovaries somewha connected at the base ; with 
one or many styles; many-celled. Fruit, in most, baccate or drupaceous, 
one-seeded or many-seeded, oblique or lunulate, compressed, with the seeds 
of the same form. Embryo curved or peripheric. Albumen _none, or very 
sparing and fleshy. (Don’s Mill.) — Climbing or twining flexible shrubs, 
natives of North America and Asia. 
Leaves simple, alternate, exstipulate, deciduous ; stalked, usually cordate 
or peltate, palmately veined, and always with the middle nerve terminating 
in an awn or point. Flowers in axillary racemes in most species, small. 
— The species in British gardens are included in the genera Menispérmum 
and Céecculus, which are thus contradistinguished : — 
Menisre’RMumM ZL. Sepals and petals quaternary. Male flowers with 15— 
20 stamens. ; 
Co’ccuLus Bauh. Sepals and petals ternary. Male flowers with 6 stamens. 
Genus I. 
: 
MENISPE’RMUM L. Tue MoonsEep. Lin. Syst. Dice‘cia Dode- 
candria. 
Identification. Tourn. ; Dec. Prod., 1. p. 102. ; Don’s Mill, 1. p.112.; Tor. and Gray, 1. p. 48. 
Synonymes. Ménisperme, Fr. ; Mondsaame, Ger. 3 
Derivation. From ene, the moon, and sperma, a seed; from the seeds being crescent-shaped. 
Gen. Char. Sepals and petals disposed in a quaternary order, in two or three 
series. Male flowers with 16 to 20 stamens ; female flowers with 2 to 4 
ovaries. Drupe baccate, roundish-kidney-shaped, 1-seeded. — Climbing 
shrubs natives of North America aa Pas 
D 
