■ f l l
siilfrutcscent, scandent, deciduous or sub-evergreen ; natives^ of Europe.
Asia, or South America; of the easiest culture in common soil.
1 1. S. D u l c a m a ' r a I/. The Bitter-sweet, or tft'oofZ/, Nightshade.
Identification. Lin. Sp , p. ; Don’s Mill., 4. p. 409.
Si/iiiinymes. S. scandeiìs Ne.ck. Gallo-Bel. 119.; Dulcaniàra flexuòsa Mcench Meth. p. 514.;^S.
' ioandens seu Dulcainàra Tourn. Inst. p. 149. ; Amàra diilds Gerard Emac. h u am ie iis loarn. uin.i-.;;.zxiiiaia uuiuio ijc/i./i* .350. ; Dùlcis a..m....a.r..a.
Trag. S16. ; Glycypicros seu Dulcamilra Bauh. Hist. 2. p. 109. icon.; la Morelle grimpante, Reg-
■aault Rot. Icon,
Engravings. Eng. Bot., t. 5G5. ; Baxt. Brit. Fl. PL, vol. 2. t. 110.; and o u r /g . 1290.
Spec. Char., c^c. Shrubby, scandent, flexuous. Leaves ovate-cordate; superior
ones hastate. Corymbs almost opposite the leaves. Shrub glabrous.
Leaves cordate ; superior ones hastate, all quite entire. Corymbs
panicled. Corolla violet-coloured, with reflexed segments, each segment
furnished with 2 green spots at the base. Berries elliptic, red. {Don's Mill.)
A climbing deciduous shrub. Europe, Asia, and North America, in hedges
and among bushes; plentiful in Britain. Stem Gft. to 8 ft. Flowers violet;
June and July. Berry red ; ripe in September.
Varieties.
1 S. D. 1 violàcea Hort. Eyst. p. 385. t. 384. No. 3. — Corollas violet.
-i S. D. 2 alba Lin. Fl. Suec. p. G6. — Corollas white. Lodd.
1 S. Z). 3 cárnea Cels. Ups. 32. — Corollas flesh-coloured.
1 S. D. 4 jilena Tourn. Inst. 149. — Corollas double.
1 S. D. 5 variegàta Munt. fig. 156. — Leaves variegated.
1 S. Z). 6 hirsùta Don’s Mill. iv. p. 409. ; S. littoràle Hort.—Plant hairy
or downy. Flowers violet. Found on the sea coast. Lodd.
1 S. D. 7 rupéstris Schmidt Fl. Boh. p. 69.— Stem erect. Leaves ovate,
quite entire. Racemes few-flowered, dichotomous. Bohemia.
The stems of this species are roundish, branched,
twisted, and climbing by elongation, among other
shrubs, and in hedges, to liie height of 6 or 8 feet,
or upwards. When braised, broken, or rubbed,
they yield a strong and peculiar odour, not unlike
that which proceeds from rats and mice. The
roots smell like potatoes ; and both roots and
stalks, upon being chewed, first cause a sensation
of bitterness, which is soon followed by a considerable
degree of sweetness, whence the specific
name. Tbe berries are poisonous; and, as they
are common in hedges, they are very frequently
eaten by children, on whom they qperate by exciting
vioient vomiting and purging. Trained to a
single stem to the height of 6 or 8 feet, and supported
by a strong iron rod, with a parasol top,
this common liedge weed might form a very handsome gardenesque pendulous
tree ; or it might cover a domical bower.
« fl- 2. S. CRi'sPUM R. 4 S. The cxivX^à-leaved Solanum.
Identification. Roem. et Schult. Sp. P l., 4. p. 595. ; Don’s Mill., 4. p. 414.
E^ n gravings. Bot. . TRV eg., .t . 1516. ;; and o u r/if. 1291.
Spec. Char., Stem shrubby. Leaves ovate, subcordate, wavedly curled,
acuminate. Flowers corymbose. {Rcem. et Schidt.) Leaves all simple,
undivided, ovate, or cordate, acuminate, petiolate, slightly curled at the
margin ; younger leaves powdery, but full-grown ones green. Cymes niany-
flowered, terminal, all tthhee ppaarrttss ppoowwddeerryy.. Bracteas none. Calyx short,
5-toothed. Corolla middle-sized, of a bluish lead-colour. Anthers equal,
yellow. {Lindl.) A large sub-evergreen rambling shrub. Cliiloe, in waste
places and hedges. Height I5ft. toSOft. Introduced in 1830. Flowers
bluish coloured ; May to September.
m
hardy vigorous-growing plant, of a
much more ligneous character than S.
Dulcamara, sub-evergreen, and covered
with flowers nearly the whole summer.
As it will grow in any soil, and is readily
propagated by cuttings, it promises to be
of great value as an ornamental climber,
for rapidly covering naked walls. If tied
to a stake, and thus forced to grow erect,
it will throw out a great number of lateral
branchlets, at the end of every one of
which is produced a bunch of flowers.
The art of hybridisation has not yet
been practised with the shrubby species of
óblànum, otherwise it is not improbable
that some hybrids might be originated between
the South American and the British
species, which would be as hardy as those
which have been described. 12ÖI. S. crispum.
G e n u s I I .
Z/Y'CIUM L. T h e B o x T h o r n . Lin. Syst. Pentándria Monogenia.
Identification. Lin. Gen., 1262.; Don’s Mill, 4. p. 457.
Synonymes. Jasminoldes Niss. in Act. Gall. 1711.; Matrimony Vine, Am e r .; Lycien, F r .; Bocks-
dorn, Ger. ; Licio, lial. One species, L. bárbarum, is commonly called the Duke of Argyll's tea
tree, from the circumstance of a tea plant {Thia viridis) having been sent to the Duke of Argyll
at the same time as this plant, and the labels having been accidentally changed.
erivation. Derived from Lycia, in Asia Minor ; hence the lukion of Dioscorides ; a
name given by
him to a thorny shrub, which was supposed by Dr. Sibthorp to have been the Rhámnus infectòrius,
but which Dr. Royle, with greater probability, i identical with a species of Bérberis
which he has denominated Bérberis Zÿcium.
Gen. Char. Calyx urceolate, regularly 5-toothed, or irregularly 3—5-cleft,
permanent. Corolla funnel-shaped or tubular ; limb 5- or 10-cleft, or toothed,
imbricate in æstivation, sometimes plicate. Stamens 5, usually exserted ;
filaments bearded, and widened at the base. Anthers cordate, dehiscing
lengthwise. Berry roundish, 2-celled. Seeds numerous, reniform. {Doris
Mill.)
Leaves simple, alternate, exstipulate, deciduous ; entire or nearly entire,
solitary or in fascicles. Flowers in peduncles, extra-axillary or terminal,
solitary, twin, or umbellate, rarely corymbose ; wh’te, yellow, rose-coloured,
purple, or blue.—Shrubs, deciduous, scandent, and usually somewhat spinose ;
natives of Europe, Asia, and Africa; readily propagated by cuttings of the
branches or of riie roots.
1 I .L . e u r o p æ 'u m L . The European Box Thorn.
Identification. Lin. Syst., 228. ; Don’s Mill, 4. p. 458.
Synonymes. L. salicifòlium Mill. Did. No. 3. ; Jasminoldes aculeàtum Mich. ; Spino santo, Spino di
Cristo, Ital.
Engravings. Mich. Gen., t. 105. f. 1. ; Mill. Icon., t. 171. f. 2. ; and o u r /g . 1292.
Spec.Char., Branches erect, loose. Buds spinescent. Leaves fascicled,
obovate-lanceolate, obtuse, or spathulate, bent obliquel}'. Flowers twin or
solitary. Corolla funnel-shaped. Stamens exserted, but shorter than the
limb. Calyx 5-cleft, ruptured at the side. Corollas pale violet, reticulated
witli red veins ; tube greenish. (Doris Mill.) A rambling shrub, with long
slender shoots, and prone to throw up innumerable suckers. South of
Europe. Stem 20ft. to 30ft. Introduced in 1730. Flowers violet;
May to August. Fruit bright scarlet or yellow; ripe in September.