THAI'. XLI. 



LEGUMJNA CEJE. 



561 



CHAP. XXXIX. 



OF THE HALF-HARDY LIGNEOUS PLANTS OF THE ORDER 

 BURSERA^CE^. 



Balsamodlndron gileadense Kunth, and Don's Mill., 2. p. 81. ; the j4myris 

 gileadensis of Lin. (Vahl Synib., 1. p. 28. 1. 11. j and our fig. 235. represent- 

 ing a branch, drawn to our usual scale of 2 in. to 1 ft., and fig. 236. representing 

 the flower and fruit of the natural size), the Balm of Gilead tree, is a native of 

 Arabia, with leaves palmately trifoliate, and small whitish flowers. There are 

 two or three varieties of it, which are by some con- 

 sidered species, but none of them have yet been 

 introduced into Britain. — Canarium Fimela 

 Kdnig. (Don's Mill., 2. p. 85.) is a tree with com. 

 pound leaves, growing to the height of 50 ft. in 

 the woods of Cochin-China and Java. 



Fagdstrum G. Don. (Don's Mill., p. 87.) is a 

 Cape genus, containing several species of ever- 

 green shrubs, with alternate pinnate leaves, some 

 of which may probably prove hardy ; but none of 

 which have hitherto been introduced. 



CHAP. XL. 



OF THE HALF-HARDY LIGNEOUS SPECIES OF THE ORDER 

 JMYRIDA'CEiE. 



Amyrzs toxijera Willd., the A. balsamffera of L. and Cat. Car. t. 40., is a tree with compound 

 leaves, a native of Carolina, and growing to the height of 50 ft. It is commonly kept in green- 

 houses ; but there can be little doubt, from the climate of its native country, that it would succeed 

 against a conservative wall. The fruit is produced in racemes, and it is pearl-shaped and purple. 

 From the trunk of the tree a juice distils as black as ink, which is reported to be poisonous. The 

 leaves, in a dried state, are highly cephalic. This species was introduced in 1820, but it is not common. 

 It well deserves a place in collections, as the representative of a genus containing various species 

 interesting in medicine and the arts. 



A. fioriduna Nutt. is a shrub, growing to the height of 10 ft. in Eastern Florida, with reticulately 

 veined, glandular, resinous, and fragrant leaves, and black berries, about the size of those of black 

 pepper. When introduced, it will doubtless be found half-hardy. 



CHAP. XLI. 



OF THE HARDY LIGNEOUS PLANTS OF THE ORDER LEGUMINA'CE^E. 



The name of Leguminaceae is applied to this extensive and truly natural 

 order, on account of the seeds of all the species being produced in leguminous 

 pods, bearing more or less resemblance to those of the common pea or bean ; 

 and quite different from the siliquose pods of cruciferous plants. 



The Distinctive Characteristics are : Calyx with 5 divisions, either parti- 

 tions, teeth, or clefts, the odd one anterior to the axis of inflorescence. 

 Fruit a legume. Seed with the radicle next the hilum. (Lind/ey, Introd. 

 to N. S. y and Key.) The ligneous species are trees and shrubs, for the 

 most part deciduous; and they are disposed through almost every part of 

 the world. The order contains some of our finest ornamental shrubs and low 

 trees, such as Robinia, Cytisus, Wistaria, Genista, t/Mex, Amorpha, Halimo- 

 dendron, Acacia, Gleditschia, Cercis, and various others. It also contains 

 some considerable trees, which belong to the genera Robinia, Gleditschia, 

 Sophora, &c. The genera containing hardy ligneous plants are in number 

 twenty-three, which, after De Candolle and G. Don, we place in characterised 

 sections, and ascribe to them short characters, that are more or less contra- 

 distinctive. 



(JU2 



