The Azarole grows naturally in Italy, in the South of France, in Carniola, and on the banks of the Tanais in the Russian empire where it was found by Gerber in 1741. It grows to be a tree of rather small size, and is much cultivated in Italy, in the South of France, and in Sicily, for the sake of the fruit, which is as large as a cherry, of a fine red colour with sometimes a tinge of yellow, and is said to have a very agreeable flavour. At present the Azarole is very scarce in this country, and we have never seen it in blossom but at Burchall’s nursery at Fulham, in May 1808, when our drawing was made. This year the plant has produced no blossoms. To those who are desirous of cultivating the Azarole, and adding another variety to their deserts, we would recommend planting it in well sheltered situations; or perhaps training against a wall, as practised for peaches and other delicate fruits, would be still better. Considerable trees of the Azarole formerly existed in His Majesty’s Gardens at Kew, and in those of the Duke or Northumberland at Sion House; and we have lately seen the remains of one in Mr. Swainson’s collection at Twickenham; but we are not aware that any exist at present in England. That of Plenck excepted, in His Medical Plants, Pl. 390, we believe no other coloured figure of it has before been published. [Illustration] PLATE DLXXX. MESEMBRYANTHEMUM ACINACIFORME. _Scimitar-leaved Mesembryanthemum._ CLASS XII. ORDER IV. _ICOSANDRIA PENTAGYNIA._ Twenty Chives. Five Pointals. ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER. PETALA valde numerosa, linearia, basi cohærentia. PETALS very numerous, linear, cohering at the base. SPECIFIC CHARACTER. MESEMBRYANTHEMUM foliis acinaciformibus: floribus amplissimis, lætè purpureis. _Dillenii Hortus Elthamensis_, tab. CCXI. FIG-MARYGOLD with scimitar-shaped leaves: flowers very large, and of a bright purple colour. REFERENCE TO THE PLATE. 1. The empalement, seed-bud, and pointals. * * * * * Throughout this extensive tribe of plants, this is the most splendid species of Mesembryanthemum we are at present acquainted with; and although an old plant in the gardens, it is quite a rarity to meet with it in flower. Our specimen is from the collection of Mr. Trimmer, of Kew Bridge, whose method of forcing it into bloom may be worth the attention of cultivators. It is by training it up against the glass, and watering it very sparingly; indeed, so little water is requisite for many of the succulent plants, that we have seen them thrive very well without any, except what they absorb from the humidity of the atmosphere in the descending dews. [Illustration] PLATE DLXXXI. SALIX VIOLACEA. _Violet-coloured Willow._ CLASS XXII. ORDER II. _DIŒCIA DIANDRIA._ Chives and Pointals on different Plants. Two Chives. ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER. * _Masculi flores._