CHAP. XIII. 



PITTOSPORA CEM. 



SO'LLY^. 



357 



Gen. Char. Corolla tubularly bell-shaped. Anthers widely distant, opening 

 lengthwise. Ovary 2-celled, many-ovuled. Pericarp 'soft, spongy, sub- 

 baccate, the cells inflated. Seeds many, lying loose in the cells, not at- 

 tended by pulp. Twining Australian shrubs, with entire or serrated leaves, 

 and axillary flowers, sub-solitary, pendulous, and of a colour passing from 

 green to yellow. {Lindl., in Bot. Reg., 1. 1719.) The fruit, in most of the 

 species, is of a bluish colour when ripe, and is eatable. {Dec. Prod., and 

 Don's Mill.) 



1 1. B. LONGiFLo^RA LabilL The long-flowered Billar- 

 diera, or Apple-hen^y . 



identification. Labill. Nov. Holl, t. 89. ; Don's Mill., 1. p. 373. 



Engravings. Labill. Nov. Holl., t.89. ; Bot. Mag., t. LOT.; and our fig. 79. 



Spec. Char. Branches climbing, younger ones scarcely pubescent. Leaves 

 lanceolate, entire. Pedicels 1-flowered, glabrous, one half shorter than the 

 flower. Berries almost globose, torose, glabrous. (Don's Mill., i. p. 373.) 

 An evergreen twiner, introduced from Van Diemen's Land in 1810 ; grow- 

 ing vigorously, and flowering and fruiting freely in conservatories ; whence we are led to conclude 

 that it will answer against a conservative wall. In a conservatory it is an interesting twiner, from 

 its slender habit, abundant small leaves, and rather numerous dark blue fruits. 



$-2. B. ovA^Lis Lincll. The oya.\'4eavedBHla.rdiera, or Ajjple-beny. 



Identification. Lindl. in Bot. Reg., 1. 1719. 

 Engraving. Bot. Reg., 1. 1719. 



Spec. Char., S(c. Of ttiis species Dr. Lindley states that " it is nearly 

 related to B. longifldra, from which it chiefly differs in its smaller 

 and shorter flowers, and more oval obtuse leaves. Its flowers change 

 irom greenish yellow to dark purple, and appear in May. A native of 

 Van Diemen's Land, whence it was introduced by Mr. Low of Clap- 

 ton." (Bat. Reg., t. 1719. Nov. 1834.) Dr. Lindley adds, " It is pro- 

 bable that Billardifera ovklis will be quite hardy enough to live in 

 this country, trained to a west wall, if protected from wet in winter; 

 at all events, a cold-pit would be an ample covering for it, and for all 

 the other species. The beautiful Srtllya grows with all its native 

 luxuriance in such a situation." [Ibid.) 



i- 3. B. muta'bilis H. K. The chmgeahle-coloured- 



flowerecl Billai'diera, or Apple-berry, {fig. 80.) 



A native of New South Wales, and producing purplish flowers from 

 June to September. It is not such a strong-growing plant as B. lon- 

 giflbra, and is probably more tender than that species; but, on ac- 

 count of the beauty of the flowers, and the large size of the fruit, it 

 ought to be tried. 



Genus IL 



SO'LLYJ Lindl. The Sollya. Lin. Syst. Pentandria Monog^nia, 



Symnyme. BillardiJ^ra, in orie species. 



Derivation. Named in honour of Richard Horsman Solly, Esq., F.R.S., &c. ; "whose general 

 acquaintance with science, and, as far as botany is concerned, with vegetable physiology and ana- 

 tomy, are such as to entitle him most fully to such a mark of respect." [Lindl., in Bot. Reg., 1 1466.) 



Gen. Char. Calyx minute. Corolla spreadingly bell-shaped, petals rather unequal. Stamens op- 

 posite the petals.' Anthers disposed into a cone, connate at the tip, and each opening by two pores 

 at its tip. Ot/flry 2-celled, many-ovuled. Pericarp spindle-shaped, many-seeded. — Australian 

 shrubs, twining in some degree. Leaves simple, alternate, remaining long on the plant, devoid of 

 stipules. Flowers in cymes that are placed opposite the leaves, blue. [Lindl., in Bot Reg., t. 1466. 

 Jan. 1832.) Fruit 4-celled, the seeds enveloped by a soft pleasant pulp. [D. Don, in Sw. Fl.-Gard., 

 2. ser. Aug. 1834.) Fruit, as examined in:a half-ripe state, 2-celled ; each cell occupied by two 

 rows of seeds, set fast in a firm somewhat fleshy substance, which fills each cell, and which we 

 presume to be what finally becomes the pulp that envelopes the seeds. [Lindl., in But. Reg., 1. 1719. 

 Nov. 1834.) 



$. 1. S. heterophy'lla Lindl, The various-leaved 

 Sollya. 



Identification. Lindl., in Bot. Reg., t. 1466. t. 1719. 

 Engravings. Bot. Reg., t. 1466. : Swt. Br. Fl.-Gar., 2. s., t. 232. ; and our 

 fig.8\. 



Spec. Char., Sfc. Flowers constantly bright blue. Fruit including pulp 

 that envelopes the seeds. This is a very interesting plant, from its slender 

 stems and branches, its fine full-green and abundant foliage, and its 

 neat, simple-formed, pendulous flowers, with corollas of a beautiful 

 bright blue. It is found wild on the south-western coast of New Hol- 

 land, and was introduced in 1830. It has been since treated by some 

 as a green-house plant, and by others as beinglnearly hardy. It grows 

 ill sand and loam, with a mixture of leaf mould, and is readily propa- 

 gated by cuttings of the y oung wood in sand under a glass. Plants, in 

 the London nurseries, cost 2s. each. 



C C t 



