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Show 'Ibe Hiflory of P L · A N T S. leaves fiand in pairs, and are lar.ge, oblong, broad, pointed at the extremity, and crenated about the edges; they ar~ ·twotinobes ancl a ~alf Ion~, ~nd ... neat two inches broad, rugofe, and of a pale green colour. Th~ Rowers,.fhnd m ltttle clufiers, on the extremities of the branches; they are large; wh1te, an~ very .h·agrant. ,' It is a common Du·ub in our gardens. C. Bauhine calls it, Syringa· alba, flve Philadel ph us Athenrei. E U G E 'N· I · A. T HE calyx is a permanent perianthium, compofed of a. fin;gle leaf, divided into four oblong obtufe, hollow fegments, and pregnant with a germen : the corolb. confifi:s of four obiong, obtufe, hollow petals, and is twice as large as the cup : the fiamina are a great number of filaments, of the length of the corolla, and inferted into the calyx: the antherre are fmall; the germen is turbinated! a~d :fian~s und~r the receptacle: the fi:yle is fimple, and of the length of t.hC: fi:amma: the fhgma IS fim~le: the fruit is a quadrangular, c01·onated drupe, contau1mg only one cell: the feed IS a roundifh, fmooth nut. E u G E N I A. The root is long and brachiated. The tree ,grows to twenty feet high ; it's trunk is firait and regular; it's branches long; it's bark of a pale grey, and variegated with fpots of a bright filvery white. The leaves fi:and in pairs; they are fmooth, very thin, and of a greenifh-yellow, an inch long, arid near as btoad at tlle bafe, whence they gradually diminifh to a point; they are undivided at the edges, and have fcarce any pedicles. The flowers are [mall and whitilh, and grow at the alre of the leaves. It is a native of Jamaica. Sir Hans Sloane calls it, Myrtifolia arbor cortice argenteo, flare pallide albicante. PSIDIUM. T... , HE calyx is a campanulated perianthium, compofed of a fingle leaf, lightly divided into five oval fegments : the corolla confifis of five oval, hollowed, patent petals: the fiamina are a great number of filaments, fhorter than the corolla, and inferted into the calyx: the antherre are fmall; the germen is roundifh, and :!lands under the receptacle: the ftyle is fubulated, and very long: the fiigma is fimple: the fruh is a very large, oval berry, containing one cell, and coronated by the calyx: the feeds are numerous, very fmall, and nidulant. This genus comprehends the Guaicana of Tournefort. P jidium ramis quadrangulis. The quadrmzgular-branched P jidium. The root is large and fpreading; it's bark is of a browniili-red. The tree grows to five-and-twenty feet high, and it's trunk to a foot and a half in diameter. The bark of the young !hoots is reddiili, or greenifh; the leaves are oblong, thick, and pointed at the ends, ?fa dark green colour, fmood1 on the upper fide, and fcabrous underneath. The ~ower 1s of the fize of ~hat of a quince) and white. The fruit is of the fize of. a moderately large pear, ufually of a reddifh colour, and of an agreeable tafie; but th1s, ~swell as the colour, is very diffe~ent in the different fiages of m.aturity. The fruit IS eaten, and the bark of the root IS ufed as an afl:ringent. PUN I CA. T HE calyx is a permanent p~rianthium, of a campanulated figure, compofed of a fingle leaf', coloured, and divided into five fegments at the edge: the corolla confifis of five roundifh, eretto-patent petals, infected into the calyx : the fiamina are numerous, capillary filaments, D1orter than the cup, and inferted into the calyx: the anthera: are oblong; the germen fiands below the receptacle; the fi:yle is fimple, and of the length of the ftamina: the fiigma is capitated : the fruit is a large, globofe apple, coronated with the calyx, and formed into nine cells : the feeds are numer~u~, · · roundti1J, The Hifiory of P L ~ N 1' S. 45 roundilh, and fucculent; the receptacle is membranaceous, and divides every cell of the frui into two parts. Of this genus there is only one known .fpecies. p U N I C A. The root is brachiated and large. The form of the pl. nt is naturally that of a fhrub, though, by culture and management, it fometimes arrives at the height o~ a fmall tree. The branches are long; the twigs long, !lender, angular, and armed wtth D1arp and rigid fpines. The leaves ~and inordinately; they are obion~, moderately b.road, of a bright green, obtufely pomted, and placed on ob1ong ped1des, of a reddtfh colour. The flowers grow fi·om the fides of the branches; they are large, and of a fine deep red colour. The fruit is of the bignefs of an orange, round, and covered with a hard rind. It is a native of Italy, Spain, and Africa. Lobel calls it, Malus Punica; Tournefort, Punica qua: malum granatum f.ert. The flowers a~e fometimes double, in whi.ch :fi~te they are called Balaufiines, or the flowers of the wtld pomegranate, and the frutt vanes greatly in fize and colour with culture; hence it is that we meet with the names of many fpecies of the Punica, though they are but imaginary ?nes. . The flowers of the Pomegranate, and the bark of the fruit, ar'e ilrongly afinngent. MY R T US. T HE calyx is a permanent perianthium, formed of a fingle leaf, erect, divided into five fegments, and pregnant with a germen at it's bafe : the corolla confifi:s of five large, oval, undivided petals, inferred into the caly~ : the ~amina are a number of capillary filaments, of the length of the corolla, and mferted mto the calyx : the antherre are fmall; the germen fiands below the receptacle; the fi:yle is fimple, and not fhorter than the il:amina: the ftigma is obtufe: the fruit is an oval berry, umbilicated by the cup, fhut up, and contains three cells : the feeds are fingle, and kidneyiliaped. Myrtus jloribus folitariis, calyce fruEfus diphyllo. The Jingle-flowered Myrtus, with the cup of the fruit diphyllous. QL:onunon ®rrtle. The root is brachiated and fpreading. The tn:tuk is thick and robufl, and it's bark rcddilb. The fhrub grows to fix, eight, or more, feet in height. The leaves are an inch long, half an inch broad, pointed at the ends, and of a fi:rong green. The flo.wers :!land fingly, and are large and white. The berries are oblong, and black, when npe. It is a native of Italy, France, and Alia; it is common in our gardens. C. Bauhine has made three fpecies from this one, in it's different appearances. He calls them, 1. Myrtus Bcetica. latifolia. 2. Myrtus minor vu1garis. 3· Myrtus fol~is minimis et mucronatis; it's leaves, indeed, diifer extremely in the various plants of 1t. The other fpecies are, I. The broad and more obtufe-leaved Myrtus. 2. The clufi:er, bay-leaved Myrtus. 3· The narrow-leaved Myrtus. 4· The broad, fhortleaved, clufiered Myrtus. Several of thefe fpecies have their berries fometimes white, when ripe ; and this has been made a new refource of imaginary fpecies. G A R C I N A. T HE calyx is a permanent perianthium, formed of four roundifl1, obtufe, hollow, patent leaves: the coroll confifis alfo of four roundilh, hollow, patent petals, and is fomewhat larger than the cup : the fiamina are fixteen erect filaments, placed fo as to form a cylindric body; they ar.e fimple, and {barter than the cup.: the .anthene are roundia1; the germen is fuboval; the fi:yle is fcarce apparent: the fbgma IS plane\ patent, and peltated; it is permanent, and is divid~d into eight obtufe fegments: tbe fruit is a large, coriaceous, globofe berry, containing only one cell, and coronat~d : the feeds are eight, conve:x on one firle, angular on the other, villofe and flefhy. AMYGDALUS. |