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leaves, it does not seem to be much attacked by insects. As tulip trees raised
from seed seldom flower before they are twenty or thirty years old, it is much
to be wished, th a t nurserymen would propagate them by grafting or inarching
from flowering trees, in consequence o f which the plants would probably
flower the second or third vear.
O r d e r IV. A N O N A 'C Em .
O r d . C h a r . The distinctive characteristics o f this order from th a t of Magno-
W'acex a r e ; Anthers with an enlarged foiir-cornered connectivnm, which is
sometimes nectariferous ; albumen pierced by the substance of the seed-coat;
leaves without stipules, conduplicate in the b n d ; properties aromatic.
— Trees or shrubs mostly natives of warm climates
Leaves simple, alternate, exstipulate, deciduous ; distinctly articulated with
the stem, en tire ; leaves and branches pubescent when young, the leaves
commonly minutely punctate, with pellucid dots. Floivers a x illa ry .- -T h e
hardy species, in British gardens, are included in the genus Aslmina Adans.,
formerly Anbna L., and are natives o f North America.
G e n u s 1.
A S T M IN A A tU in s . T h e A s im i n a . lAn. St/st. Polyánclria Polygynia.
hlentification. Adans. F am ., 2. p. 36.5. ; Dec. P ro d ., 1. p. 87. ; Don’s Mill., 1. p. 91.
Synonijmes. A n n h n a l j .; Orchidocárpum >/.r. ; Porcèlìi^ sp. ; XJvàrìa Tor. ^ Gray ; Custard
A p p le; A sim in ie r,an d Anone, P r .; Flaschenbaum, Cfer.
Derivation. A s im in a is Latinised from a word of Canadian origin, th e meaning o f which is not
known. Orciiidocárpum was, it is probable, intended to express a likeness between th e figure of
th e fruit, and th a t of some species of O'rchis. P o rc è lìa is a name given by Ruiz, in honour of
Antonio P o red , a Spanish promoter of botany. is a South American word th a t signifies a
moss, or dish o f food, to b e eaten with a spoon. Uvà ria is from uva, a gr¿.pe, to which, however,
the fruit has little resemblance. T h e German name, Flaschenbaum, flask tree , is given from
th e shape of the fruit.
Gen. Char. Calyx 3-parted. Petals 6 , spreading, ovate-oblong, inner ones
smallest. Anthers numerous, nearly sessile. Ovaries many, but for the
most part only 3, ovate or oblong. Carpels the same number as the ovaries,
baccate, sessile. Seeds many, disposed in a single or double row. ( Don’s
M i l l .)— Low trees or shrubs, deciduous, with white or purplish flowers,
and fruit about the size o f small plums. R ath er tender, and difficult of
culture. Only one species is truly hardy iu the climate o f London.
» 1. A. t r i 'l o h a Dun. The three-lobed-ca/yTcd Asimina.
Jdentification. D u n . Monog.; Dec. P ro d ., 1. p .87. ; D o n ’s Mill., 1. p . 91.
Synonymes. Amìòna trilo b a L ., and M.t. in A rb . \ P o rc è lìa trilo b a P e is . ; Orchidocárpum a rie tìnum
Mx. B o r. Am. ; Uvària trilo b a Tor. ^ Gi'ny ; the Papaw, A m e r .\ Asiminier de Virginie,
and Annone à trois Lobes, Fr. ; dreylappiger (th re e-lo b ed ) Flaschenbaum, Ger.
E ngravings. Mill. Icon., 1. t. 35. ; T o r. and Gray, 1. p. 45. ; Mx. Arb ., 3. t. 9. ; and our)?g.47.
Spec, Char., 4'c. Leaves oblong-cuneated, acuminated, and, as well as the
branches, smoothish. Flowers on sh o rt peduncles; oute r petals roundish-
ovate, four times longer than the calyx. {Doris M iil.) A low deciduous
tree. Middle, southern, and western states o f North America. Height
15 ft. to 20 ft. in North America; 7 ft. to 10 ft. in England. Introduced
in 1736. Flowers dark purple and yellow. F ru it yellowish, esculent ;
ripe in August in America, rarely seen in England. Decaying leaves rich
yellowish brown. Naked young wood dark brown.
A small tree, densely clothed with long leaves, lying over one another in
such a manner as to give a peculiarly imbricated apjiearance to the entire
plant. The flowers are campanulate and drooping, and appear before the
leaves ; the outer petals are pur|de, and vary in colour in different plants ; m
some being very dark, and in others light, inclining to yellow. All parts of
the tree have a rank, if not a fetid, .smell :
and the fruit is relished by few persons except
the negroes, who call it papaw. ^ The
fruit ripens in America in the beginning of
August, and is about 3 in. long and U in-
thick, oval, irregular, and swelling into inequalities.
In British gardens, the plant is
always raised from American seeds ; and, to
thrive, it requires to be planted in sandy peat
or deep sand, and kept moist. In England
it may be considered as a curious, slow-growing,
deciduous shrub, or low tree_, well deserving
a piace in gardens, b ut which ought
always to be isolated, and at some distance
from rapid-growing plants. Relatively to
growth, it may be placed near D irca palùstris,
some o f the daphnes, or Illicium.
Olher Species o /A simina . — A. parviflòra and A. gtwif/i/?0ra are North
American shrubs, seldom growing higher in their native habitats than 1 tt. to
2 ft., and rather too tender for the climate o f London.
O r d e r V. MENISPERMA'CE^.
O rd . C h a r . Flowers unisexual. Sepals and iietals similar. Stamens moiia-
delpho'js, or rarely free. Ovaries somewlia connected a t the base ; with
one or many ifyfes; manv-celled. Fruit, \n most, baccate or drupaceous,
one-seeded or many-seeded, oblique or lunulate, compressed, with the seed.;
of the same form. Embryo curved o r peripheric. Albumen none, or -very
sparing and fleshy. {Doris M ill.) — Climbing or twining flexible shrubs,
natives o f North America and Asia.
Leaves simple, alternate, exstipulate, deciduous ; stalked, usually cordate
or peltate, iiaUnately veined, and always with the middle nerve terminating
in an awn or point. Flowers in axillary racemes in most species, small.
— The species in British gardens are included in the genera Menispdrmum
and Cbcculus, which are thus contradistinguished : —
M e n i s p e 'k m u m L . Sepals and petals quaternary. Male flowers with 15—
20 stamens.
Co'ccui.us Bauh. Sepals and petals ternary. Male flowers with 6 stamens.
G e n u s I.
c '
- L
M EN IS P E 'RM UM L . T h e M o o n s e e u . Lin. Syst. Dioe'cia Dodecaiidria.
Ucntificatiim. T o u rn . ; Dec. P ro d ., 1. p. 102. ; D o n ’s M i l l , 1. p. 112. ; T o r. and Gray, 1. p. 48.
Sunonvmes. Ménisperme, Fr. ; Mondsaame, Gcr. . ' , . . .. v j
Derivation. F rom mené, th e mooji, and sperma, a seed ; from the seeds being crescent-shaped.
Gen. Char. Sepals and petals dis[)Osed in a quaternary order, in two or three
series. Male flowers with 16 to 20 stamens ; female flowers with 2 to 4
ovaries. Drupe baccate, roundish-kidney-shapeti, 1-seeded. Climbing
shrubs natives of North America and Dauria.
D 4