CHAP. L XXXIV.

NOI.ANa'cEAE. GRABO'WSKI^.

1273

1 9. L. (? e.) SHi'wzRffim. Shaw’s Box Thorn.

Identification. Rcem. et Schultes Syst., 4. p. 693.; Don’s Mill., 4. p. 458.

Synonyme. L. europas'um Mill. Diet No. 4., Shaw Afr,, p. 349. f. 349.

Spec. Char., fyc. Branches dependent, rather tomentose at the apex. Buds spinescent. Leavesovate-lanceolate, thiekish. Branches scattered. Prickles strong. Leaves short, thick, scattered.Flowers lateral, small, white. {Don's Mill., iv. p. 458.) A shrub, a native of Barbary, where itgrows 7 ft. or 8 ft. high; flowering in June and July. It was introduced in 1700.

® 10. L, a'frum L. The African Box Thorn.

Identification. Lin. Sp., 277.; Don’s Mill., 4. p. 459.

Engravings. Mill. Icon., t. 171. f. 1.; Swt. FI. Gard,, 2d ser. t. 324.; Bot. Reg., t. S54.; Lam. Ill.,

, 112. f. 1.; N. Du Ham., 1. p. 107—110.; Trew Ehret, 4. t. 24. f. 2.; Plenck Icon., 1.127.; Mich.Gen., p. 224. 1.105. f. 2.; Nis. Act. Par., 1711., p. 420. t. 12.; and our figs. 1114. and 1115.

Spec. Char., fyc. Erect, spiny. Leaves fascicled, linear, canescent, attenuatedat the base, obtuse, fleshy. Flowers almost axillary, solitary, drooping.Corola tubular, 3 times longer than the calyx. Stamens enclosed. Barkgrey-coloured; the smaller branches frequently spiny. Leavesglaucous. Filaments bearded near the base, as in all the truespecies. Stigma slightly 2-lobed. Corolla violaceous richpurple above. Berry globose, violaceous. Calyx5-toothed. ( Don’s Mill., iv. p. 459.) It is a shrub,a native of some parts of Spain, the north of Africa ,

Palestine, Syria, Egypt , and Arabia Felix; whereit grows to the height of from 6 ft. to 10 ft., flower-ing in May and June. It was introduced in 1712,and is very commonly kept in the green-house; buta plant in the Chelsea Botanic Garden has stoodout against a wall since 1825, where it has attainedthe height of 12 ft., and flowers profusely every year. 1115It is readily distinguished from all the other sorts by itsdark blue or black fruit. Belon, in speaking of the plain ofJericho, and of the banks of the river Jordan , says, the bushes which bear thelycion grow in this plain; and we find in the Bible (Genesis, chap. 1. v. 10,11.), that the Children of Israel, in their journey from the land of Goshento Canaan, came to the threshing-floor of Atadad; that is, in Hebrew ,lycium ; the plant being cultivated there for its berries, which were used inmedicine as a purgative, known to the ancients by the name of lucion, andthe mode of preparing which is indicated by Dioscorides . It is, however,doubtful, whether the berries of iJhamnus saxatilis, which are known to becathartic,^ are not confounded with those of the Lycium in this passage.Lycium afrum is one of the most ornamental species of the genus ; and,though rather tender, it well deserves a place in every collection, against awall. Plants, in the London nurseries, 2s. 6 d. each.

L. ovatum Hort. There are plants bearing this name in the Horticultural

Society’s Garden, and at Messrs. Loddiges’s.

L. spathulatum Hort. There is a plant bearing this name in the Horticultural

Society’s Garden against the wall.

Genus III.

1114

GRABO'WSKU Schlecht. The Grabowskia. Lin. Syst. Pentandria

Monogynia.

Identification. Schlecht. in Linna-a, 7. p. 72. ; Lindl. in Bot. Reg.

Synonymes. Lfcmra sp. Lin,; Ehretia sp. L’H4rit .; Crab6wskia Don’s Mill., 4. p. 480.

Derivation. In honour of Dr. H. Grdbowski , one of the editors of Flora Silesiaca.

Description , fyc. A shrub, with the habit of the genuine species of iycium,much branched, furnished with axillary spines. Leaves scattered, quiteentire. Flowers from fascicles of leaves, or the revolute branchlets; or sub-corymbose from the tops of the branchlets: hence, they appear as if theywere panicled at the tops of the branches. ( Don’s Mill., iv. p. 480.)

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