Z'i 3
[ 3 3 1 ]
V I B U R N U M Lantana.
M ealy Guelder-rofe, or Way-faring 'Tree,
P E N T A N D R I A Trigynia.
G en. C har. Cal. fuperior, of five leaves. Cor. in five
fegments. Berry with one feed.
S pec. Char. Leaves heart-fhaped, ferrated, veiny,
downy beneath.
Syn. Viburnum Lantana. Linn. Sp. PI. 384. Hudf. FI.
A n. 129. With. Bot. A rr. 318. Relh. Cant. 126.
Sibth. Ox. 104.
Viburnum. Rail Syn. 460.
R a y mentions this ftirub as growing in a clay foil. We
have obferved it moft plentifully, and apparently in its true
wild lituation, in chalky places, as about Henley, Oxfordlhire;
not but that it occurs alfo here and there in the woods and
hedges of moft parts of England, flowering in May.
It is a thickly-branched fhrub or fmall tree, growing to a
larger fize in the north of England (as Ray alfo remarks) than
in the fouth; its twigs round, pliant, and mealy, with the
fame kind of tufted ftellated pubefcence as is found on the
flower-ftalks, backs, and even upper lides of the leaves. The
leaves are oppofite, as in the whole genus, fomewhat elliptical,
heart-lhaped at the bafe, obtufe, ferrated, ftrongly veined,
without ftipulae. Flowers in large terminal cymes, white, with
yellowilh antherse. Stigmas feflile, very fhort and thick. Berries
comprefied. When young (as in our figure) they are red on the
outermoft fide, y.ellow on the other; but when quite ripe they
turn black. They have a little mealy aftringent pulp. Seed
large, flat and furrowed.
This is fuppofed to be the Viburnum of V irg il; but the poet
fays nothing by which it can be afcertained, mentioning it only
in his ill eclogue, ver. 26.
The leaves turn dark red in autumn.