2032

ARBORETUM AND FRUTICETUM.

PART III.

in an unexpected and satisfactory manner. In its amen-taceous inflorescence, imperfect flowers, superior calyx,and mode of germination, Garryo is very similar to Cu-puliferse, from which it differs most essentially in its woodwithout concentric circles or dotted vessels, its oppositeexstipulate leaves, simple fruit, and minute embryo lying Sin a great mass of albumen. The latter characters bringit near Piperaceae and their allies, especially Chlorantheae,with which its zoneless wood (for Chloranthus has noannual zones), simple fruit, and opposite leaves, alsoagree; but the stipules of Chlorantheae, together withits achlamydeous bisexual flowers, and articulated stems,distinctly separate that order.” {Sot. Reg., t. 1686.)

Only the male plant of Garrya elliptica is in the country.

When in flower (which it is from December till April), theplant has a most striking and graceful appearance, fromits slender pendulous catkins, many of which are 8 in. to 1 ft. in length. Itwas at first grown in peat, but appears to prefer a loamy soil. It is readilyincreased by layers; and by cuttings in sand under a hand-glass. Plants, inthe Fulham Nursery, in 1837, were 21s. each.

CHAP. CVII.

OF THE HARDY LIGNEOUS PLANTS OF THE ORDER PLATANA'CEAD .

Pla'tanus Tourn. Flowers unisexual; those of the two sexes upon oneplant, and those of each sex disposed many together, and densely, inglobular catkins, that are sessile upon pendulous rachises, 2 generally upona rachis; the flowers of each sex upon a separate rachis, produced from aseparate bud.— Catkin of male flowers constituted of minute, rather fleshy,persistent bracteas, and of deciduous stamens. Filaments very short,situated between the bracteas, and of about their length. Anthers of2 cells, longer than the filament; attached longitudinally to a connectivum,which is broader than the filament, and has a peltate tip.—-Catkin of femaleflowers constituted of bracteas and pistils. Pistils numerous, approxi-mately pairs. Ovary of 1 cell, including 1—2 pendulous ovules. Stigmas2, long, thread-shaped, glanded in the upper part. Fruit a utricle, denselycovered with articulated hairs, including i pendulous, oblong, exalbuminousseed. — Species, about 4. Natives of the temperate zones of the easternand western hemispheres. Tall trees. Leaves alternate, palmate, annual;their margins revolute in the bud. Leaf-bud covered with a conical enve-lope; and immersed, in the preceding year, in the base of the petiole. (T.Nees ab Esscnb. Gen. PI. FI. Germ., and observation.) The young shoots,leaves, and stipules are thickly covered with down, which as soon as theybecome fully expanded is cast off, and, floating in the atmosphere, is inhaledby gardeners and others who have occasion to be much among the trees,and produces a cough which is extremely disagreeable, and is not got ridof for several weeks. The inconvenience arising from this down, Michauxinforms us, is well known in America , and it has been long familiar toFrench nurserymen. M. Ch. Morren, Professor of Botany at the Uni-versity of Liege, gives an account of it in the Transactions of the RoyalAcademy of Brussels, under the title of “ Note sur l’Eflfet pernicieux duDuvet du Platane;” the only preventive which he mentions is the ob-vious one adopted by M. Henrard, nurseryman at Liege , viz., that of co-vering the nose and the mouth with a handkerchief of fine gauze. (Seep. 2045., and I,’Echo du Monde Savant, Jan. 6. 1838.)