BOBINIA 



LABUBNUM AND BBOOM OBDER 



BOBINIA 339 



known as bella-rosea, and is regarded as 

 a variety of B. Pseudacacia. 



R. hispida (Rose Acacia). — A beautiful 

 N. American shrub 5-15 ft. high, with 

 more or less bristly branches and stalks. 

 Leaflets 11-18 on a rachis, smooth, 

 ovate, or oblong ovate, tipped with a long 

 bristle. Flowers in early summer, deep 

 rose, large, scentless, in drooping racemes. 

 Pods glandular hairy. The variety 

 ■iiiacrophylla has larger ovate roundish 

 leaflets, and smooth branches and flower 

 stalks without prickles, a fact which has 

 also earned for it the name of inermis. 



Culture dc. as above. This species is 

 generally grafted on stocks of B. Pseud- 

 acacia, but it may also be increased by 

 root cuttings. Although it flowers pro- 

 fusely, it rarely ripens any seeds in the 

 British Islands. Plants only 2-4 ft. high 

 flower well. 



R. neo - mexicana. — This beautiful 

 small tree or large shrub is a native of 

 Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona, and 

 sometimes attains a height of 20-25 ft. in 

 a wild state. It has not been many years 

 in cultivation, but has proved to be quite 

 hardy, and there are now specimens at 

 Kew about 15 ft. or, more high. The 

 young shoots and the under surface of the 

 young leaflets are covered with brownish 

 hairs, while the fully developed oblong 

 leaflets, each about 1| in. long, are of a 

 soft bluish-green on the upper surface. 

 The pretty deep rose-coloured flowers 

 appear during the summer months in 

 short drooping racemes about 6 in. long. 

 Seeds are ripened freely, and are enclosed 

 in pods covered with bristly brown hairs. 



Culture &c. as above. 



R. Pseud-acacia (False Acacia ; Com- 

 mon Locust). — A handsome, hard- 

 wooded N. American tree, 30-60 ft. high, 

 with naked branches. Leaflets 9-18, 

 oblong ovate or elliptic. Flowers in 

 April and May, white, fragrant, in slender, 

 loose, drooping clusters, 3-5 in. long. 

 Pods smooth. The first plant of the Com- 

 mon Locust introduced to Em-ope in 1687 

 still exists in the Jardiu des Plantes at 

 Paris, but the main branches and trunk 

 have been much broken, not unnaturally 

 after more than 260 years. 



There are many varieties, such as : — 



Bessoniana, a compact, round-headed 

 tree with thornless branches. 



crispa, with nearly all the leaflets 

 waved or curled. 



Deaaisneana, with bright rosy-pinli 

 flowers. 



fastigiata, similar in growth to the 

 Lombardy Poplar. 



inermis, small-growing, round-headed 

 bush, usually grafted on upright stems 

 of the Common Locust, and often seen 

 growing in small villa gardens. 



macrophylla, leaves long, leaflets 

 broad. 



microjyhylla, leaves small, leaflets 

 narrow. 



monopJiylla, leaves reduced to a single 

 leaflet or sometimes two. 



inonstrosa, leaves large and twisted. 



pendula, shoots slightly drooping. 



procera, tall, strong-growing. 



semperflorens, lasts in flower through- 

 out summer. 



sophorce folia, leaves large, like those 

 of Sophora japonica. 



striata, a variety with a tendency to 

 grow erect. 



tortuosa, branches curiously twisted. 



umbraculifera, leaflets ovate ; 

 branches much crowded, smooth ; head 

 rounded. 



The characters of other varieties such 

 as aurea, revoluta, angustifolia elegans, 

 linearis, are indicated by the names. 



Culture dc. as above. The False 

 Acacia is one of the most graceful hardy 

 trees grown? not so much for its drooping 

 masses of white flowers, but for the light 

 and feathery appearance of its soft green 

 luxurious foliage. For large gardens and 

 parks it is very valuable, and although 

 perfectly hardy, should always be planted 

 in spots sheltered from tempestuous winds. 

 This is necessary chiefly because of the 

 brittleness of the wood, which in old trees 

 especially is readily rent by violent storms. 

 Seeds are ripened freely. 



R. viscosa (B. ghitinosa). — Clamimy 

 Locust. — A N. American tree 20-40 ft. 

 high. Leaflets 11-15, ovate and oblong, 

 blunt, or slightly cordate at the base, paler 

 and downy beneath, tipped with a short 

 bristle. Flowers in May and June, rosy, 

 in crowded, roundish, erect racemes. Pods 

 glandular, viscid. 



Culture dc. as above. Although not 

 such a free grower as the False Acacia, 

 the Clammy Locust is nevertheless a 

 desirable ornamental tree. It is easily 

 recognised not only by its rosy flowers but 

 also by the clamminess of the young 

 shoots and leaf stalks. It ripens seeds 

 freely. 



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