354 



SYLVAN SKETCHES. 



watches. It takes the name of bonnet du pretre^ from 

 the form of the seed-vessel ; and the seed is pecuHar 

 for its being covered with a beautiful scarlet cover, like 

 mace ; it is called an arillus by botanists ; and when 

 the fruit is nearly ripe becomes exposed by the opening 

 of the outer cover. 



The Broad -leaved Spindle tree, Euonymiis lati- 

 Jblkis, is a native of Austria, Hungary, and most of the 

 southern parts of Europe. It has a stronger stem than 

 the first, and grows to a larger size- The blossoms open 

 white, and afterwards become purple. 



The Warted Spindle-tree, Euonymus verrucosus^ a 

 native of Austria and Carniola, was cultivated here in 

 1765, by Mr. J. Gordon. It flowers in May and June. 

 The stem and branches are warted, whence its specific 

 name. 



The Purple -flowered Spindle -tree, Euonymus atro- 

 purpureusy is a native of the northern parts of Asia, and 

 is a shrub of six feet. The footstalks and edges of the 

 leaves are tinged with purple. This species was intro- 

 duced here by Messrs. Kennedy and Lee, in 1756. 



The Evergreen Spindle-tree, Euonymus Americamis, 

 was cultivated here by Bishop Compton, in 1713. It 

 grows eight or ten feet high, with many branches, which 

 come out opposite, from the joints of the stem. The 

 leaves are about two inches long, and three-fourths of 

 an inch broad, ending in acute points ; they are, as the 

 name implies, green all the year. It flowers in July, 

 but seldom produces ripe fruit in England. 



