5 
Tetrakdria LiNs^ei, 
amethystine CALLICARPA. 
C A L L I C A R P A AMERICANA. 
W E add here an Ax.ER.caN to onr As.at.c trcafures ; a fim,b whofc bcrncs have 
an vlecancc not met wit!, elfcwhere in the Vegetable world. Its hardincfs 
is ail-o a .^tcat recommendation. Ve keep it in Green-houfes. bnt this cannot be necef- 
farv • a native of North Asmaie,. will bear the free Air in our chn.atc 
It is a Shrub ofmoderatc height, with pliant Branches, and large handfome Leaves. The 
Flowers grow in a fmgular manner ; like thofe of what arc called the Vcrticillatc Plants : 
two Leaves rife oppofite; and from the Bofom of each Footftalk grows a tuft of Bloflbms; 
«bich, as they open, fpread into an elegant duffer, furrounding the whole Stalk. 
Thcfc Flowers arc of a pale, but elegant crimfon ; th.cy have a fmall green Cup, and 
each is divided into four Segments, mimicking fo mans Petals; and fpreading widely open. 
The Cup has alfo four divihons, but they are fmall and flat. 
Four long and (lender Fila.ments rife from the Bottom of each Flower, with oval But- 
tons ; and they furround a Angle Style Axed on the Rudiment of the future Berry. The 
mark of the Tetrandrous Clafs, is as plain and perfedf here, tho fmall, as that of the 
Triaudrous in the preceding Plant. 
The Berries are the great beauty of this Shrub ; they have a great delicacy and elegance 
in tincf and in conlfrudion, which attract every Eye. They cluftcr round the Stalks at 
thefe Joints, as the Flowers had dene ; and they are as big as fmall Pcafe ; round and 
extremely glolTy. 
Their ripe colour is a mo(f delicate purple, not deep but (hining ; exaftly that of 
fomc pale .Amethyfis ; and they appear covered inftead of that tough (kin which inverts 
our Berries, with a thin fhclly, and as it were pearly Coat ; upon whofe fjrface the colour 
plays accordingly to the light, as in the Opal, or fine Mother of Pearl : or as wc imitate 
it in what are called the Changeable Silks. As they (land they have not the afpedf of 
Berries, but of Pearls tinged naturally of this Amethyftine colour. Thofe to whom I firft 
(hewed fomc of them, brought from the native climate of the Shrub, took them for fliclly, 
and not vegetable fubflanccs. Mr. Lee of Hammerfmith, a very able nurferyman, has 
fince ripened them here to the fame perfcAion. I gave a fmall Shrub, with the Berries 
perfea upon it, laft Year, to my great Friend and Patron, the Patron of all ufeful fludics, 
the Duke of Nortiiluberland; too great for flattery ; and too good for praife. 
As the four Filaments in each Flower (hew this to be of the fourth clafs in the Sexual 
Syftcm, tl'.e Tetrasdria ; fo, like the preceding, having but one Style rifing from the 
Rudiment ol the fruit, it is of the firft Order under that clafs, the Monogynia. 
It has been called Sphoxdvlococcus, and by our Gardeners, ufually, Joiinsonia. It 
gross ftce.) from Cutings, and in the fccond year may be brought into its place in our 
pUnUtiaiis. ^ 
Cdlllcarpa foliis Icrratis. 
A. AT/'. (■ 
