310 



ARBORETUM AND FRUTICETU.M. 



PART III. 



Spec. Char., Sf-c. Leaves in 4 pairs of 

 leaflets with an odd one, the low- 

 er pairdistant from the base of the 

 petiole ; leaflets ovate, approxi- 

 mate, cordate at the base, one- 

 nerved, spiny-toothed, with 9 or 6 

 teeth on each side. Racemeserect, 

 and much crowded. Filaments bi- 

 dentate. (Don's Mill., adapted.) 

 One of the handsomest of hardy 

 evergreen shrubs, attaining the 

 height of 6 ft. in 6 years, quite 

 hardy, producing a profusion of 

 bunches of yellow flowers during 

 April and May. It is a native of 

 the north-west coast of America, 

 from New Albion to Nootka 

 Sound, growing in rich vegetable 

 soil among rocks, or in woods, 

 where it forms a thick and rich under-growth. It was introduced into 

 England in 1823, and is to be found in all good collections. Accord- 

 ing to Dr. Lindley, it is " perhaps the handsomest hardy evergreen we 

 yet possess. Its foliage is of a rich, deep, shining green, becoming purple 

 in the winter; it bears fruit in some abundance, which consists of clus- 

 ters of roundish black berries, having their surface covered with a rich 

 violet bloom. It most resembles M. fas cicularis, from which its large shining 

 leaves at once distinguish it." {Penny Cyc, iv. p. 262.) This species is pro- 

 pagated very slowly by layers, and, for some years, plants were sold in the 

 nurseries at ten guineas each. Lately, however, a number of ripe seeds 

 have been produced in England, or imported from America through the 

 Hudson's Bay Company ; and from these, many young plants have been 

 raised, in the Epsom and other nurseries ; so that small plants may now be 

 obtained for 5s. each, and in a few years they will, no doubt, not cost half 

 that sum. In Prince's Catalogue for 1825, the price is stated as 25 dollars 

 (5/. 5s.) each. 



m. 3. M. nervo v sa Nntt. The nerved-leaved Mahonia, or Ask Berberry. 



Identification. Nutt. Gen. Amer., 1. p. 212. ; Don's Mill., 1. p. 118. 



Synunymes. Birberis nervbsa Ph. ; Mahonia glumacea Dec. ; Birberis glumacea Ben. Cyc. 



Engravings. Pursh. Fl. Amer., 1. t. 5. ; Bot. Reg., t. 1426. ; and our fig. 58. 



Spec. Char., fyc. Leaves of 5 

 — 6 pairs, with an odd one, 

 the lower pair distant from 

 the petiole ; leaflets ovate, 

 acuminated, and remotely 

 spiny-toothed, somewhat 

 3 — 5-nerved, with 12 or 14 

 teeth on each side; ra- 

 cemes elongated; filaments 

 bidentate. (Don's Mill., i. 

 p. 1 18.) An evergreen un- 

 dershrub, in its native 

 habitats seldom exceeding 

 the height of 3 ft., and 

 producing its yellow flow- 

 ers in October, succeed- 

 ed by roundish fruit, of 

 a glaucous-purple colour, 

 and having an insipid 

 taste. The plant is found in 

 ■hady pine woods, on the 



