S. mèdia D im . Cours. 1. p. 709. ; Lilas Varin N. Du Ham. ; S. chinénsis ÌVilld. t
Don's Mill. 4. p. 51. ; S. sibirica Hort. ; the Siberian Lilac Hort.
Engravings. N. Du Ham., 2. t. 63. ; and o u r/g . 1243.
Spec. Char., S/i. Leaves ovate-lanceolate.
Flowers purple. (Doris Mill.) An intermediate
plant between S. vulgàris and S.
pcr.sica. A shrub, from 6 ft. to 8 ft. liigh; a
hybrid between S. vulgàris and S. persica ;
raised at Rouen by M. Varin, the director
of the Botanic Garden there. introduced
in 1795. Flowers purple ; May and June.
0. 1. p. 48.,
Varieties.
Sfe S. r. 2 Lilas Royal Bon Jardin. 1836,
has the flowers more compact than
the species.
S. r. 3saugeana/Zo?7. ; Lilas sauge, Fr. ;
differs from the Lilas Varin in having
the flowers more red and more beautiful.
S. coccínea and S. chinénsis
rùbra Lodd. Cat. ed. 1836 appear to
be identical with this variety, or very sli/u ly different.
It is of very vigorous growth, and a most
abundant flowerer ; and, in favourable soils
and situations, it will attain the height of 10 or
12 feet.
1243. S. rothomagén»is.
S. Emòdi Wa/l Cat. No. 2831., Don’s
MUL iv. p. SI., Royle Illust. p. 267. t. 6S.
f. 2., and our Jig. 1244., has tho leaves ellip-
tic-oblong, glaucous beneath, attenuated at the
base, and acuminated at the apex. Branches
warted. Thyrse terminal and panicled. Capsules
almost cylindrical. The bud-scales permanent
at the base of the year’s shoots. A
shrub, 8 ft. to 10 ft. Itigli, native of Kamaon,
towards the Himalayas, with purple flowers.
This very ornamental and desirable plant has
lately been raised in the H. S. Gardens from
seeds received from the Himalayas. 1214. S. EmMi.
G e n u s V .
h
FO N TA N E 'S / z l Labili. T h e F o n t a n e s u . Lin. Syst. Diándria Monogynia.
Identification. I.abill. Tl. Syr., dec. 1. p. 9. t. 1. ; Don’s Mill 4 d 61
fr”’“»“ “ ' fr'”’-“ «»■
Gen. Char., f r Calyx 4— 6-parted, permanent. Coi-olla 4—6-paj'ted, de-
/'irliirv iv o CJ ^1 „ ,1 Cfj.'.ciduous. Stamens 2, elongated. Stig ma 1b i. ff.i d1 , 1h oo>k ed. . CapsÉu l_e a 2 -4 -
wmged, 2-celIcd, papery, indehiscent samara; cells 1-seeded. (Doris Mi/l.)
L e a /s simple, alternate, exstipulate, sub-evergreen; lanceolate. Elowers
m axillary racemes, whitish yellow. — Shrubs with the habit of Phillvrea
media natives of Asia, and forming a connecting link between iVaxinics
and Glemae. Layers, m common soil.
I Ï Î 1 F. PHILLVBEOI'DES LaJi«. The Phillyrea-
like Fontanesia.
acMifficMion. Labili. Syr., doc. 1. p. 9. t. 1. ; Don’s Mill., 4. p. .51.
Ensrmines. Rot. Cab., 1 .1308. ; and o u r * . 1245.
Spec. Char., f r . See Gen. Char. A sub-evergreen shrub
or low tree. Syria between Laodicea anti Mount Cas-
sins, and Sicily. Height 10 It. to 14 ft. Introduced
in 1787. Flowers greenish white, turning to brownish
yellow ; June, and remaining on the tree two or
three months.
Readily propagated by layers, by cuttings, or by
graiting on tlie common privet. Grafted standard
high on the ash, it w'ould form a very handsome
drooping-branched tree. 1245. F. pSilljreüides.
l k
Sect. III. î r a x i n i e ' æ .
G e n u s VI.
PRA 'X IN U S Tourn. T h e A s h . Lin. Syst. Polygàmia Dioe'cia.
MentifteaUon. Tourn. InsL, 343. ;_Liii. Gon., No. JICO. ; Don’s Mill., 4. p. 63.
S i a o f t ’o». The d£iv,ltion of Priixinus Bivsn in D on’s MiUer is, from / r o s s o , to ondoso ; tbe ash
h i i n i been formerly used for making hedges. Limiieus derives it Irom » i r o n s , a scpiiration,
because the wood splits e.lsily. Others derive it from Jrangilur, because the young branches arc
S “y b r £ n ; or which m ./h a v e been applied ironically, m allnsion to the extreme to u g h n /s of
the old wood. None of these derivations, however, appears very satisfactory. The English name
of Ash may be derived cither from the Saxon word ase, a pike i or from the colour ot the bark of
• e trunk and branches, which resembles that of wood ashes.
Gen. Char., f r . Flowers polygamous. Calyx none, or 4-parted, or 4-toothed.
Corolla none. Stamens 2, in the male flowers. Anthers sessile, or on short
filaments, dehiscing outwardly. Female flowers the same, except that they
have no ’stamens,”hut have 'each a pistil that has a bifid stigma. Fruit,
t-ii s a m a r a , ‘2.I-'-c'-e’l*l«'e-''d-*», compressed,, w..-i-n-Jg,-e d .a t top, . C^ ells 1-scedcd. (Don’s Mill.-)
Leaves compound, opposite, exstipulate, deciduous; unequally pmuate.
Floiuers in lateral racemes, greenish yellow. Frvlt, or samara, 2-celled,
compressed, winged at top.—Trees ; natives of Europe, part of Asia, and
North America.
The species arc raised from seeds ; and the varieties chiefly by grafting on
Fraxinus excélsior, but partly also from seeds. There is a great tendency m
all the species to sport into varieties; and many of what are by botanists
described as species are, in our opinion, not entitled to that distinction.
All the ashes are of easy culture in good soil, and in a sheltered situation.
The European ash is one of our most valuable timber trees, as is the American
ash in North America.
A. Leaflets broad, smooth or shining on the upper surface. Natives of Europe.
Î 1. F. e x c e ' l s i o r L. The taller, or common. Ash.
Identification. Lin. Sp-, P- 1509._; Dong’s Mill., 4. p. 5
Synonymes. F. apètala LLaarm, . I l l t. 858. f. 1. ; F. rostràta Guss. Fl. Rar. p. 374. ; p 'rn u s Scop.
"Carn No 1249.': F. erósa Fe r s .; F. crispa Rose; le Frêne, Fr.-, Aosche or fìsche, Ger. aiitl
Dutch; Ask, Dan. and Swed.; Frassino, Ita l.; Fresno, Span.; Freixo, F o rt.; Jas, Jasen, or
R » g rn S i^ “ “ É’n g f B iL Ìt.' 1692. ; the plates in Arb. Bril., 1st. edit., vol. vl. ; and o u r * . 1246.
Spec. Char., f r . Leaflets almost sessile, lanceolate-oblong, acuminate, serrated,
cuneated at the base. Flowers naked. Samara obliquely emarginate
at the apex. The leaves have generally & pairs of leaflets, but sometimes 6.