According to Michaux, the American horsechestnut is commonly a 1
tree, from 10 ft. to 12 ft. in h e ig h t; but it is sometimes 30 or 35 fe
^ . bush or
low height ;feet high,
tru n k 12 or 15 inches in diameter. He found it only on the banks of the Ohio ;
bu t Torrey and Oray give as its habitats the western parts of Penns}lvania,
Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky. The tree in the H o rt. Soc. Garden is of equally
vigorous growth with the common horsechestnut ; the leaves are larger, and
o f a bright green : on the supposition th a t this is the JE. ohioénsis o'i Michx. and
Tor. Gray, we have no doubt in our own mind tha t it is only a v ariety o f the
common horsechestnut, Hr. Lindley, however, is o f a different .opinion, considering
it as a distinct species. (S e e Bot. Beg., 1838, t. 51.)
Ì 3. riD. (H .) RUBicu^NDA Jjois. The reááish-flowercd ^ s c u lu s , or Horse
chestnut.
Identification, Loiseleur He rb. A m a t.; Dec. P ro d ., 1. p . 597. ; D o n ’s Mill., 1. p. 652.
S ynonymes. JE. cá rnea Hort., and L indL Bot. R e s . ; JE. ròse a H ort. ; JE. coccínea Hort. ; JE.
Hippocástanum var. ru bicúndum Schubert ; jE . Watsònìdwii Spach ; Marro n ier rubicund F r. •
sch a rlach ro th e Rosskastanie, Ge n ; Whitlev’s larla ch e G e r .;Whitley’s ffiinnee ssccaarrlleett.. ’ *’
E ngravings. He rb. Am at,, t. 3 67.; Hayne Abbild., t. 2 2 .; Bot. Re¡
Dendr., 1 .121., as JE. cá rn e a ; th e plate o f th is species in Arb. 1
is . 168.
1 .1056., as Æ . cá rn ea ; Wa ts,
r lt., 1st ed it., v o l .v . ; and o u r
Spec. Char., Src. Petals 4, with th e claws shorter than the calyx. The
flowers are scarlet, and very o rn am en ta l; the leaves of a deeper green than
those o f any other soi't, and they have a red spot a t the base o f the petioles
o f the leaflets on the under side. The flowers come o u t o f a dark red, and
die off still darker. F ru it prickly, A decidnous tree, below the middle
size, ? Hybrid from North America, Height 20 ft, to 30 ft. Cultivated
in 1820, Flowers red ; May and June, F ru it brown ; ripe in October,
I t is doubtful whether this tree is a native o f North America, or originated
in British gardens. I t passes under different names in different nurseries.
168. Æ 's c u lu s (Hip p o cá stan um ) ru b ic û n d a .
as will be seen by our list o f synonymes, and may be considered as differing
little, if at all, from Æ . cárnea Lindl. It is distinguished from Pàvrà rùbra
by it.s larger and rougher leaves ; and from Æ . Hippocástanum by the leaves
being fuller and more uneven on th e surface, and of a deeper green. The
tree is also smaller, and o f much less vigorous growth than the common
horsechestnut. I t is, without doubt, th e most ornamental sort of the
genus.
Variety.
¥ Æ . (H .) 2 r. ròsea. Æ 's cu lu s ròsea Hort. — This variety differs from
Æ . (H .) rubicûnda, in having th e leaflets without a red spot a t the
base of the petioles. The flowers come out of a pale red, and die
off about th e same shade as the flowers of JE. fH .) rubicunda are
when they first appear.
Other Varieties. There are several names in gardens, and in nursery'-
men’s catalogues, which appear to belong to Æ . ( H .) rubicunda, but how
far the}’ are w'orth keeping distinct, we are very doubtful. Whitlefs new
scarlet, o f which there is an imported tree in th e Fulham Nursery, is said
to have flowers o f a darker scarlet than any of the above-named varieties ;
and, if so, it may be recorded as Æ . ( H.) r. 3 'Whitlèi*. Æ . (H .) americàna
of th e same nursery belongs also to Æ . rubicûnda.
¥ 4. Æ . g l a 'b r a Willd. The smooúi-leaved Æsculus, or Horsechestnut.
Identification. Willd. E n um ., p. 405. ; Dec. P ro d ., 1. p. 597. ; D o n ’s Mill., 1. p. 652.
E n g ra vin g s. Hayne Abbild., t. 24. ; and o u r ^ s . 169, 170.
Spec. Char., Sro. Claws o f the petals o f about the length of the calyx. Leaflets
of a pale green, very smooth. Flowers o f a greenish yellow. A deciduous
low tree. North America. Height 20 ft. to 30 ft. Introduced m
1812. Flowers yellow ; Ju n e . F ru it brown ; ripe in October.
This sort is very distinct ; , ,
bnt it is evidently not th e Æ 's -
cuius glàbra o f Torrey and
Gray, but probably a variety of
the Æ 's c u lu s flàva o f tliese_
1 7 0 . Æ 's c u lu s g la b ra .
169. Æ 's c u lu a g la b ra .
authors, with rough fruit. The
whole plant is comparatively
glabrous, and even the fruit
])artakes o f th a t quality. The
tree is o f less vigorous growth
than Æ . rubicûnda ; and the
shoots take a more upright direction.
It appears to lose its leaves sooner than most o f the other sorts.
¥ 5. Æ . ( g . ) p a ' l l i d a ll'i/W. The pa\e-flowercd Æaculuf;, or Horsechestnut.
Identification. Willd. E n um ., p. 406. ; Havne Dend., p. 44. ; Dec. P ro d ., 1. p. 597. ; D o n ’s Mill., 1.
p, 652.
Synonyme. Gelbliche Rosskastanie, Ger.
E ngravings. Hayne Abbild., t . 25. ; and our,^^. 17L
Spec. Char., 4c. Petals with th e claws shorter than th e calyx. Stamens
twice as long as the corolla. A deciduous low tree. Originated in gardens.
Height 20 ft. to 30 ft. Cultivated in 1812. Flowers pale yellow; May
and Ju n e . F ru it brown; ripe in October.
This sort so closely resembles Æ . glàbra, as to leave no doubt in our mind
o f its being a variety o f th a t species. I t is of somewhat more robust growth,
and the leaves are, perhaps, not quite so smooth.