XXV. LEGUMINA CEE: ROBI/NIA. 233 
Genus XII. 
Pehle 
ROBI'NIA Lin, Tue Rosinta, or Locust Tree. Lin. Syst. Diadélphia 
Decandria. 
Identification. Dec. Mém. Lég., 6.; Prod., 2. p. 261.; Don’s Mill., 2. p. 237. 
Synonymes. Pseudacacia Tourn. Inst. t. 417., Manch Meth. 145. ; Robinier, Fr.; Robinie, Ger. 
Derivation. Named in honour of Jean Robin, a French botanist, once herbalist to Henry IV. of 
France, author of Histotre des Plantes, 12mo, Paris, 1620; printed with the second edition of 
Lonicer’s History of Plants. His son Vespasian was sub-demonstrator at the Jardin des Plantes 
in Paris, and was the first person who cultivated the Robinza Pseud-Acacia in Europe. 
Gen. Char. Calyx 5-toothed, lanceolate, 2 upper ones shorter and approxi- 
mate. Corolla papilionaceous. Vewillun large. Keel obtuse. Stamens dia- 
delphous, deciduous. Ovaries 16—20-ovulate. Style bearded in front. 
Legume compressed, almost sessile, many-seeded, with the valves thin and 
flat, margined at the seminiferous suture. (Don’s Mill.) 
Leaves compound, unequally pinnate, alternate, deciduous ; leaflets 
generally ovate or obovate, petiolate. Flowers white or rose-coloured, in 
axillary usually nodding racemes. — Trees, deciduous, natives of North Ame- 
rica, where one of the species is highly valued for its timber. 
The species are prized, partly for their use, but chiefly for their beauty. 
They are readily propagated by seeds, large truncheons of the stem and 
branches, cuttings of the roots, or by grafting; and they will grow in any soil 
that is not too wet. Their roots are creeping, and their branches very brittle : 
they grow rapidly, but are generally not of long duration. Their rapid growth 
is a property that they have in common with all trees and plants the principal 
roots of which extend themselves close under the surface ; because. there the 
soil is always richest: but the same cause that produces this rapidity at first 
occasions the tree to grow slowly afterwards, unless the roots are allowed 
ample space on every side; since, as they never penetrate deep, they soon 
exhaust all the soil within their reach. They are, therefore, highly objec- 
tionable among ornamental shrubs, or in flower borders. For this reason, 
also, such trees are objectionable as hedgerow trees, or as scattered groups in 
arable lands ; their roots proving a serious impediment to the plough, and the 
suckers thrown up by them choking the corn crops. Roots, on the other 
hand, which penetrate perpendicularly as well as horizontally, belong to more 
slowly, but more steadily, growing trees, which always attain a larger size in 
proportion to the extent of ground they occupy. : 
# 1. R. Pseu‘p-Aca‘cra Lin. The common Robinia, or False Acacia. 
Identification. Lin. Sp., 1043. ; Dec. Prod., 2. p. 261. ; Don’s Mill., 2. p. 237. 
Synonymes. Zéschynémene Pseudacacia Rorb. ; Pseudacacia odorata Manch Meth. 145.; Locust 
Tree, Amer.; the Bastard Acacia ; Aobinies faux Acacia, Acacia blanc, Carouge des Américains, 
a ine Acacie, Schot n, Ger. 
Derivation. This tree, when first introduced, was supposed to bea species of the Egyptian acacia, 
(Acacia véra), from its prickly branches and pinnated leaves, which resembled those of that tree. 
It was named the locust tree by the missionaries, who fancied that it was the tree that supported 
St. John in the wilderness, It is not, however, a native of any other part of the world than North 
America. The name Carouge is the French word for carob bean, the locust tree of Spain ; which, 
being also a native of Syria, is, probably, the true locust of the New Testament. The German 
name of Schotendorn is composed of schote, a pod, or legume, and dorn,athorn. __ 
Engravings. Lam. Ill., t. 666.; N. Du Ham., 2. t. 16.; the plate of this species in Arb. Brit., 
Ist edit., vol. v. ; and our fig. 382. 
Spec. Char., §c. Prickles stipular. Branches twiggy. Racemes of flowers 
loose and pendulous ; and smooth, as are the legumes. Leaflets ovate. 
The flowers are white and sweet-scented ; the roots creeping, and their 
fibres sometimes bearing tubercles. (Dec. Prod.) A deciduous tree, above 
the middle size. North America. Canada to Carolina, Height 70 ft. to 
80 ft. Introduced in 1640. Flowers white ; May and June. Legume 
compressed, dark purplish brown; ripe in September. Decaying leaves 
yellow. Naked young wood purplish brown, 
