The only other cultivated Cornels with which C. florida is — 
likely to be confused are C. Nuttallii, Audub., figured at 
plate 8311 of this work, and the Japanese C. Kousa, Buerg. 
The former is distinguished by the flower-heads not being 
enclosed by the involucre during winter, and by the usually 
more numerous bracts with acute, but not deflexed, apices. 
C. Kousa differs from both in its smaller ovate-lanceolate, 
acuminate bracts, and in its smaller leaves. 
The bark of C. florida, officinally known as “ Dogwood 
Bark,” yields cornine, a bitter principle which has astringent, 
tonic and stimulative properties. It was at one time valued, 
especially in America, in intermittent fevers. 
Cornus florida is unlikely to occupy an important place 
in English gardens, except, perhaps, in the more favoured 
‘ones of the south and west. In Ireland, South Wales and 
in the west of Scotland it ought to succeed in many places; 
and in those favoured regions few more beautiful shrubs can 
be grown. At Kew it succeeds only under protection. 
Mr. Chambers informs us that his plant of var. rubra is now 
10 ft. high and 84 ft. through, and that it is much more 
floriferous and lasts a longer time than the ordinary white- 
“flowered” type. It is grown in open sandy loam fully 
exposed to the sun. 
_Description.— Tree, of bushy habit, occasionally 40 ft. 
high in a wild state, usually a wide-spreading bush Jess than 
15 ft. high under cultivation. Young branches terete, olab- 
rescent, tinged with red. Leaves broadly elliptic or ovate, 
pubescent on both surfaces, especially beneath, 3—5 in. long, 
13-8 in. wide, dark green above, pale and olaucescent 
beneath, with a short acuminate apex. Jnvolucre terminal, 
forming in autumn and enclosing the flower-head during 
Winter, expanding in spring, reaching its fullest beauty in 
May, when it has become 3-42 in. across. Bracts 4, petal- 
like, obcordate, 14-2 in, long, 1 in. wide, parallel-veined, 
bright rosy red, apex notched and decurved. lowers 
3 lin. long, produced in a crowded head Lin.across. Calya- 
lobes 4, pubescent, obtuse. Corolla-lobes 4, ligulate, pubes- 
cent, green, tipped with yellow. Style columnar, with a 
truncate stigma. Fruitan ovoid drupe } in. long, red when 
ripe ; flesh thin, mealy ; stone containing one or two seeds. 
Fig. 1, flowers ; 2, section of calyx and pistil ; 3 and 4, anthers :—all enlarged. 
