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LIGU'STRUM* *. 



Linnean Class and Order. DiA'NDRiAf, Monogy'nia. 



Natural Order. Olea'ce/e, Lindl. Introd. to the Nat. Syst. of 

 Bot. p. 224 . — Olei'ne.e, Hoffmannsegg and Link. — Lind). Syn. 

 p. 171 . — Ole'inav, Loud. Hort. Brit, p.524 . — Jasmines, Juss. 

 Gen. PI. p. 104. — Sm. Gram, of Bot. p. 97. — Rich, by Macgilliv. 

 p. 437 . — Sapia'rIjE, Linn. 



Gen. Char. Calyx (fig. 1.) inferior, very small, tubular, with 

 4 upright teeth. Corolla (figs. 2 & 3.) of 1 petal, funnel-shaped, 

 tube cylindrical, longer than the calyx ; limb with 4 deep, egg- 

 shaped, spreading segments ; valvular in the bud. Filaments 

 (figs. 2 & 3.) 2, opposite, alternate with the segments, in the 

 mouth of the tube. Anthers upright, nearly as long as the co- 

 rolla. Germen (fig. 5.) superior, oval. Style (fig. 5.) short. 

 Stigma (fig. 5.) thick, cloven. Berry (fig. 6.) of 2 cells. Seeds 

 (fig. 8.) 2 in each cell, convex on one side, angular on the other. 



Distinguished from other genera, in the same class and order, 

 by an inferior, monopetalous, regular, 4-cleft corolla , and a berry 

 with 4 seeds. 



One species British. 



LIGU'STRUM VULGA'RE. Common Privet, Print, or Prim- 

 print. 



Spec. Char. Leaves elliptic-spear-shaped, blunt, with a small 

 point. Panicle compact. 



Engl. Hot. t. 764. — Curt. FI. Lond. t. 300.— Linn. Sp. PI. p. 10. — Huds. FI. 

 Angl. (2nd ed.) p. 3. — Sm.Fl. Brit. v. i. p. 12. Engl. FI. v. i. p. 13. — With. 

 (7th ed.) v. ii. p. 12. — Gray’s Nat. Arr. v. ii. p. 391.— Lindl. Syn. p. 171. — Hook. 

 Brit. FI. p. 3. — Lightf. FI. Scot. v. i. p. 72. — Sibth. FI. Oxon. p. 4. — Abbot’s 

 FI. Bedf. p. 2. — Hurt. Midi. FI. v. i. p. 50; and v. iii. p. 335. — Helh. FI. Cant. 

 (3rd ed.) p. 6. — Hook. FI. Scot. p. 3. — Grev. FI. Edin. p. 2. — FI. Devon, pp. 1. 

 and 153. — Johnston’s FI. Berw. v. i. p. 5. — Walk. FI. of Oxf. p. 3. — Curt. Brit. 

 Entomol. v. ix. t. 409. — Mack. Catal. of PI. of Ire), p. 8. — Bab. FI. Bath. p. 30. 

 — Ligustrum, Ray’s Syn p.465. — Johnson’s Gerarde, p. 1394. 



Loca cities. — I n hedges, woods, and thickets, especially on a gravelly or 

 chalky soil. Not uncommon in most parts of England ; more rare in Scotland. — 

 It is abundant in the neighbourhood of Oxford ; and also about Rugby in 

 Warwickshire. 



A Shrub. — Flowers in May and June. 



This grows to the height of 6 or 8 feet ; it is smooth, and bitter, 

 much branched, and the bark is of a greenish-ash colour, irregu- 

 larly sprinkled with numerous prominent points. Branches straight, 

 filled with pith ; wood hard. Buds axillary, egg-shaped, of a few 

 opposite scales. Leaves opposite, on very short stalks, elliptic- 



Fig. 1. Calyx and Pistil. — Fig. 2. Calyx, Corolla, Stamens, and Pistil. — 

 Fig. 3. Corolla cut open virtically. — Fig. 4. A Stamen. — Fig. 5. Germen, Style, 

 and Stigma. — Fig. 6. A Berry. — Fig. 7. A transverse section of the same.— 

 Fig. 8. A Seed. 



* From ligo, to bind ; on account of the use sometimes made of its long and 

 pliant branches. Dr. Hooker. 



f See Veronica chamccdrys, folio 50, note f. 



