26 



CEANOTHUS COLLIN A. 



attending its introduction into this country. In the years 1826 and 1827 a great 

 variety of seeds, collected in North America by the late unfortunate Douglas, 

 were received by the Lond. Hort. Soc. : some of which were distributed among 

 various public and private establishments. Of the seeds so distributed, a portion 

 was received by Messrs. J ohn Pope and Sons, the spirited proprietors of Hands- 

 worth Nursery, near this town ; and amongst them were a few of C. collina, one 

 of which vegetating produced our present plant, and which we believe to be the 

 only one in the kingdom. 



Ceanothus collina, as far as we can judge from De Candolle's descriptions, is 

 allied to Ceanothus buxifolius, Wild., on the one hand, and to C. serpyllifolius 

 on the other. It approaches buxifolius in its ovate-elliptic glandular-serrated 

 leaves ; in the leaves having three nerves (which probably in older and more 

 vigorous plants may occasionally be five) ; and in having their under surface 

 covered with appressed hairs : it differs at the same time in having its branches 

 smooth, not spiny; and in its panicled, not racemose inflorescence. It approaches 

 serpyllifolius in its decumbent branches : but differs in its glandular serratures 

 and in its inflorescence, not being conglomerate. The number of species of this 

 genus amounts to about 40, of which 25 appear to have been introduced into this 

 country. Their geographical distribution is pretty equal ; 20 species being natives 

 of tropical parts, and the remainder of North America. The leaves of C. Ameri- 

 cana were used as tea during the American war ; and an infusion of the twigs 

 has been considered a useful astringent. Of their medical properties generally 

 very little appears to be known. The species generally are of the easiest culture, 

 requiring only common garden soil. This has been increased by layers, which 

 strike readily, especially if tongued. The operation of tonguing, which is well 

 understood by propagators, consists in cutting a stem half through below a joint, 

 on the under side, and splitting it up for two or three inches. This is sometimes 

 done on the upper side of pliant plants, which are then twisted round, so as to 

 place the tongue in a perpendicular position : the latter is considered the more 

 effectual method of causing the layers to strike root. It might also probably be 

 struck by cuttings in sand under hand-glasses, in a cool, shady situation. Seeds, 

 to ensure their vegetating, require to be sown as soon as ripe.— Ceanothus (a 

 name used by Theophrastus to denote a thorny plant) is derived from Keco (Keo), 

 to cleave ; collinus, a Latin adjective signifying hilly or mountainous, no doubt 

 has reference to the situation where it was found. 



