By Thomas Bruges Flower, Esq. 



257 



1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 1 A large shrub with copious, opposite, round, pliant, 

 mealy branches. Flowers white. Fruit compressed in an early- 

 state, red on the outside, yellow and finally black. Decaying 

 leaves of a fine deep red. Viburnum tinus a native of the South 

 of Europe, is the Laurustinus of our gardens. 



2. Y. Opalus (Linn.) common Guelder-rose, Water Elder, Opulus 

 (Opier, Fr.) perhaps from Opulentus, on account of its fine appear- 

 ance when in flower. Engl. Bot. t. 332, St. 27. 6. 



Locality. In low moist woods, thickets, and banks of streams. 

 Tree, Fl. May, June, Fr. September, October. Area, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. 

 In all the Districts. 



The marginal flowers of each cyme in this plant, are barren, and 

 consist of a large, irregular, five-lobed petal, without organs of 

 fructification ; those of the centre are smaller, regular, and fur- 

 nished with stamens and pistils. When cultivated, all the central 

 flowers of the cyme, like those of the circumference, lose the organs 

 of fructification, each becoming a flat expansion of the five-lobed 

 corolla around a minute point, whilst the entire cyme assumes 

 a globular form. In this state it is familiar to most persons as 

 the Guelder-rose, or Snowball-tree of our gardens, and shrubberies, 

 to which it is a great but transitory ornament. Cowper describes 

 the pleasing effect produced by the flowers of this tree when 

 mingled with others : — 



" The scentless rose and tall, 



And throwing up into the darkest gloom 

 Of neighbouring cypress, or more sable yew, 

 Her silver globes, light as the foaming surf 

 That the wind severs from the broken wave." 



Lonicera, (Linn.) Honeysuckle. 



Linn. CI. v. Ord. i. 



Named in honour of Adam Lonicer, a German botanist. 



1 " "Witty-tree, or wayfaring-tree, is rare in this country; some few in 

 Cranbourn Chace, and tbree or four on the south downe of the farme of Broad 

 Chalke. In Herefordshire they are not uncommon ; and they used, when I was 

 a boy, to make pinnes for the yoakes of their oxen of them, believing it had 

 vertue to preserve them from being forespoken, as they call it ; and they use to 

 plant one by their dwelling-house, believing it to preserve from witches and 

 evill eyes." " Aubrey's Nat. Hist. Wilts," p. 56. 



