CHAP. CXVI.

lilia'ceaj. ieu'scus.

25 19

each, gibbous on one side, flat on the other, and extremely hard. It is anative of Europe , but not of the more northern parts. It is also found inAsia and Africa. In England, it is common in woods and hedges, in Norfolk ,Suffolk, Berkshire, Oxfordshire , Essex, and Middlesex. It is often found inthe neighbourhood of London, and was formerly abundant on HampsteadHeath, and at Norwood in Surrey. It has also been discovered in Cambridge-shire, in the New Forest in Hampshire, and in Kent. It is rare in Scotland ,but has been found in Bothwell Woods near Glasgow , and in Sheldon Woodsnear Ayr. It is not found in Ireland. It is very common in Italy , whereit is frequently made into besoms; and the hucksters, both in Italy andGermany , place boughs of it round their bacon and cheese, to defend themfrom mice; whence, perhaps, the German name of mausedorn. It is alsoused in Brittany, to make little brooms, or scrubbing-brushes, to clean theinside of the kitchen utensils. In England, the green shoots are cut, boundin bundles, and sold to the butcher’s for sweeping their blocks; whence thepopular English name of butcher’s broom. It is also used, in London , by themanufacturers of cigars, &c., for sprinkling the saline liquor over the tobaccoleaves. The tender young shoots, in spring, are sometimes gathered and eatenby the poor, both in England and France , like those of asparagus; and thebranches, with ripe fruit on them, were formerly stuck up in sand, with thestalks of the common peony and wild iris (/'ris foetidissima), full of their ripeseeds, which altogether made a show in rooms during winter. Planted undertrees or shrubs, the Ruscus aculeatus will spread into large clumps ; and, as itretains its leaves all the winter, it has a good effect as a low undergrowth,more especially as it will live in situations so shady as to be unfit for almostany other plant. The root is of a bitterish taste, and was formerly muchused in medicine as an aperient and diuretic, particularly in cases of dropsy.

«- 2. K. hypophy'llum L. The under-leaf Ruscus, or broad-leavedButcher's Broom.

Identification. Lin. Sp. t 1474. ; Reich., 4. 284. j Desf . Atlan., 374. ; Hist des Arb., &c., 1. p. 11. ;

Mart. Mill., No. 2.; Willd. Sp. Pi., 4. p. 879.; Ait. Hort., ed. 2., 5. p. 420.

Synonymes. R. latifolius, &c., Tourn., Inst 79.; Latirus alexandrlna Lob. Adv., $c., 509., Bauh.Hist., Raii Hist., 663. 2.; L. a. Chamad&phne Col., &c., 1. par. 1. p. 364. f. 1.; L. a. genuina Park.Theat 700. 1. ; L. Chameed&phne vfcra Dioscdridis, Park. Theat., 700. 2. ; L. a. altera Matth.341., Tourn. Ic., 862.; L. a. vdra Clus. Hist. , 278., Raii Hist., 663. 3.; Fragon sans Foliole, Fr. ;breitblattriger Mausedorn, Get.

Engravings. Tourn. Ic. j Colum. Ic.; Bot. Mag., 2040.; and our fig. 2388.

Spec. Char., $c. Flowers produced underneath the leaves. (Willd.) Theroots of this species have large knotty heads, withlong thick fibres, like those of the preceding kind.

The stalks are tough and flexible, rising about 2 ft.high. Leaves stiffs ovate-oblong, ending in points ;more than 2 in. long, and almost 1 in. broad ; placedalternately. The flowers, which appear in May andJune, are small and inconspicuous, and are pro-duced on the under surface of the leaf, close tothe midrib; the female flowers being succeeded bysmall red berries, about the size of those of thecommon juniper. The stems die down the secondyear, like those of the preceding species. It is anative of Italy and Africa, and was cultivated in1683, by Mr. James Sutherland. There are plantsat Messrs. Loddiges’s.

- ... ____,__ acuminate leaves, placed by threes,

and flowers on their upper sides. It is a native of Zante , and some other of the Greekislands, where it grows about 2 ft. high.

a. 3. R. (h.) i/vpoGLo'ssuM L . The Under-tongue Ruscus, or double-leaved Butcher's Broom .

Identification. Lin. Sp., 1474.; Scop. Cam., 1231.; Desf . Atlan., 374.; Mart Mill., 3.; Willd.b P- PL, 4. p. 875.; Ait. Hort. Kew., 5. p, 421.; Lodd. Cat. , ed. 1836.

Variety.

n R h O trifnii'/'ift/m J) Irifnli&tnc TWOl Vn fi_. has nvatn.