1272

AKBOIIETUM AND FR.UTICETUM•

PART III.

Synonymes. L. tataricum Pall. FI. Ross., 1. p. 78. t. 49.; Lycien de la Russie, Fr.Engravings. Murr. Comm. Goett., 1779, p. 2. t. 2.; and our fig. 1112.

Spec. Char., $c. Branches dependent. Buds spinescent.Leaves linear-lanceolate, fleshy, obtuse, attenuatedat the base, solitary, or sub-fasciculate. Peduncleslonger than the calyx. Calyx with 5 unequal teeth.Stamens exserted, equal to the limb. Calyx usuallyirregularly 5-toothed, rarely 2 —3-lobed, as in L.barbarum. Corolla with a white tube and purplishlimb. Leaves grey, like those of L. afrum. ( Don’sMill., iv. p. 458.) A climbing shrub, a native ofSiberia , in nitrous places;, on the Wolga , and inHyrcania; flowering from June till August. It wasintroduced in 1804; and, judging from the plantsin Messrs. Loddiges’s collection, is scarcely, if atall, different from L. europae'um.

Variety.

j; L. r. 2 caspicum Pall. FI. Ross., t. 49. f. A.—Leaves shorter. Buds more spinose. Flow-ers smaller. Native about the Caspian Sea .( Don’s Mill., iv. p. 458.)

1 6. L. (e.) lanceola'tum Poir. The lanceolat e-leaved Box Thorn.

Identification. Poir. Suppl., 3. p. 429.; Don’s Mill., 4. p. 458.

Synonyme. L. europium /3 Dec. FI: Fr., No. 2699., Pers. Ench., 1. p. 231. No. 8., N. Du Ham.,1. p! 123. t. 32., Loud. Hort. Brit., ed. 1829.

Engraving. N. Du Ham., t. 32.

Spec. Char., %c. Branches dependent, reflexed. Buds spinescent. Leaves lanceolate, nearly sessile,acute at both ends. Flowers solitary, extra-axillary, pedicellate. Corolla funnel-shaped. Sta-mens exserted. Calyx unequally 5-toothed. Corolla purple, with a white bottom. Berry oblong,red. (Don’s Mill., iv. p. 458.) A climbing shrub, a native of the south of Europe , particularly ofNaples , Greece , &c.; where it flowers from May till August. When it was introduced is uncer-tain, and we have never seen the plant.

_1 7. L. (? E.) turbina'tum Da Ham. The turbinate^/hdW Box Thorn.

Identification. N. Du Ham., 1. p. 119. t. 31. ; Pers. Ench., 1. p. 231., exclusiveof the synonyme of Lam., No. 3. ; Don’s Mill., 4. p. 458.

Synonymes. L. Aalimifblium Mill. Diet. , No. 6. ? ; L. barbarum' /3 Dec. FI.Fr., No. 2700.

Engravings. N. Du Ham., t. 31.; and our fig. 1113.

Spec. Char., &c. Stems erect, fascicled. Branchlets dependent, terete. Budsspiny. Leaves sessile, lanceolate, acuminated. Flowers aggregate, pe-dicellate, extra-axillary. Corolla funnel-shaped. Stamens exserted. Calyxtrifid. Berry red, and turbinate. Corolla violaceous, with a white bottom.(Don's Mill., iv. p. 458.) It is a climbing shrub, a native of China , whereit flowers from May till August. It was introduced in 1709 ; but we havenot seen the plant. Though we consider many of the sorts.of this genus,which are described as species, as only different varieties, it does not followfrom that circumstance that each sort may not be tolerably distinct.Wherever plants are raised in groat numbers from seed, it is easy to pickout from among the seedlings many different varieties, which, if propa -gated by extension, will remain distinct till the end of time. We mustconfess, however, that we know of very few genera of ligneous plants,indeed, where so many of the different alleged species so very closelyresemble each other, as in Lycium. We have no doubt that by takinga dozen plants of any one of the kinds, from numbers 1 to 9 inclusive, andplacing them in a dozen different climates, soils, and situations, we shouldhave a dozen sorts, as well entitled to be considered as species, as mostof those which are here described as such.

i i 1

J. 8. L. (?E.) tetea'ndrum Thunb . The tetrandrous^owjcral Box Thorn.

Identification. Thunb . Prod., p. 37.; Lin. Suppl., 150.; Thunb. in Lin. Trans., 9. p. 154. t, 15.; Don’sMiil.,4. p. 460.

Engraving. Lin. Trans., 9.1.15.

Spec. Char., fyc. Spiny, erect. Branches angular, straight. Leaves fascicled, ovate, obtuse. Flowersnearly sessile. Corollas quadrifid, tetrandrous. Stem twisted, glabrous, angular, grey, stiff.Branches horizontal, spiny. Leaves a line long. Flowers solitary, rising from the fascicles ofleaves on short pedicels. Very like L. kfrum, but is distinguished from that species in the leavesbeing more fleshy, and in the flowers being tetramerous and tetrandrous. It is also, perhaps, theL. capense of Mill. Diet. , No. 7., of which the following description is given : — “ Leaves oblong-ovate, thickish, crowded. Spines strong, leafy. Leaves scattered, solitary, or fascicled, thick,pale green, permanent.” (Don's Mill., iv. p. 460.) A shrub, a native of the Cape of Good Hope ,about Cape Town ; where it grows to the height of 6 ft. or 7 ft., flowering in June and July. Itwas introduced in 1810; but we have not seen the plant.