chap. lxxv. olea n ce;e. 1197 



Spec. Char., $c. Leaves oblong, acute, downy beneath. Petioles long. Fruit 

 few-seeded. (Don's Mill./iv. p. 38.) A tree, a native of North America, in 

 the lower counties of Virginia, Carolina, and Georgia; where it grows to 

 the height of from 20 ft. to 30 ft., and flowers in April. It was introduced by 

 Lyon, in 1812. Michaux makes this only a variety of D. virginiana, oc- 

 casioned by difference of climate ; which, he observes, exerts an extraor- 

 dinary influence on the developement of all trees that are common to different 

 parts of the United States ; but Pursh considers it a distinct species ; 

 not only on account of the difference in the structure of the fruit, but in the 

 shape and downiness of the leaves. There are plants in the Horticultural 

 Society's Garden, and in the arboretum of Messrs. Loddiges ; judging from 

 which, we feel inclined to agree entirely with Michaux. 



App. I. Other Species of JLbendcecc. 



In the catalogue of Messrs. Loddiges for 1836 are the names Diospyrus angustifolia, D.fertilis, and 

 D. liicida ; but we have not seen the plants. The plants bearing these names in the Horticultural 

 Society's Garden appear to be only varieties of D. virginiana. D. Mabbla Roxb., Bot. Mag., t. 1139., is 

 cultivated as a fruit tree in the Isle of France. The fruit is about the size of a quince, of a pink co- 

 lour, with a fleshy rind, firm white pulp, and agreeable flavour. 



$ Embrydpteris Kaki L., D. chin^nsis Blume, Konis or Kaki, Kccnipf. Amoen. t. 806., is a native 

 of Japan, where it is an evergreen fruit tree, growing to the height of 12ft. or 15 ft. It was intro- 

 duced in 1789, and, both in France and England, is kept in green-houses ; but it would probably 

 live against a conservative wall in a favourable situation. The sweetmeat known in France by the 

 name of figues-caques is made of this fruit. 



CHAP. LXXV. 



OF THE HARDY LIGNEOUS PLANTS OF THE ORDER OLEA v CEiE. 



Distinctive Characteristics. Flowers hermaphrodite, sometimes dioeci- 

 ous. Calyx 1-leaved, divided, permanent. Corolla hypogynous, monopetalous, 

 4-cleft; sometimes 4-petaled. Petals connected by pairs to the middle of 

 the filament, rather valvate in aestivation ; sometimes wanting. Stamens 2, 

 alternating with the segments or petals of the corolla. Anthers 2-celled ; 

 cells dehiscing lengthwise. Ovarium simple, guarded by no glandular disk, 

 2-celled; cells 2-seeded. Ovules pendulous, collateral. Style simple, or 

 wanting. Stigma bifid or undivided. Fruit drupaceous, baccate, or capsular, 

 often 1-seeded by abortion. Seeds with dense copious albumen. Embryo 

 middle-sized, longitudinal, straight. Cotyledons foliaceous, half free. Radicle 

 superior. Plumule inconspicuous. Leaves opposite, simple, rarely pinnate 

 Flowers racemose or panicled, terminal or axillary, with opposite unibracteate 

 pedicels. (Don's Mill./iv. p. 44.) Trees and shrubs, natives of both hemispheres, 

 and for the most part deciduous. Some of them are timber trees : medi- 

 cinally, for the most part, they are bitter. One genus, the O'lea, produces a 

 valuable oil ; and from others (the O'rnus and .Fraxinus)is obtained the sweet 

 purgative manna. The Syringa supplies some of our most beautiful deciduous 

 shrubs, and the Ligustrum and Phillyrea some useful evergreens. We have 

 arranged the genera containing hardy species in the three following sections. 



As most of the species of this order may be grafted on one another, it is 

 probable their flowers might be reciprocally fecundated ; in which case, some 

 curious hybrids might be produced between the privet and the lilac, the 

 privet and the olive, the lilac and the ash, &c. The generic characteristics 

 under the following sections are taken from Don's Mill. iv. 



Sect. I. Ole x in^:. 



Sect. Char. Corolla short, monopetalous, campanulate or urceolate, 4-cleft. 

 Stamens 2, with short filaments, and erect anthers. Fruit drupaceous. 



JjIGi/strum Toiirn. Corolla funnel-shaped, having the tube exceeding the 



