OLIVE FAMILY. 279 



8. PSRIPLOCA. (Name, a Greek word, implies that the plant twines.) 

 P. Grseca, of S. Eu., cult, as an ornamental twiner, hardy through the 



Middle States : smooth, with opposite ovate mostly pointed leaves, on short 

 petioles, and lateral cymes of rather small flowers, the corolla greenish-yellow 

 with the upper face of the oblong lobes brownish-purple : in summer. 



9. STAPELIA. (Named for a Dutch naturalist, Dr. Van Stapel) Strange- 

 looking fleshy plants of the Cape of Good Hope, cult, in conservatories along 

 with Cactuses. The commonest is 



S. hirstlta. Stems or branches G'-IO' high, with concave sides, pale and 

 obscurely downy ; flower 3' -4' in diameter, dull purple and yellowish with 

 darker transverse stripes, beset with purple very long hairs, and with denser 

 hairiness towards the centre, exhaling a most disgusting odor, not unlike that 

 of putrid meat. 



89. OLEACE^3, OLIVE FAMILY. 



Trees or shrubs, chiefly smooth, without milky juice, distinguished 

 among monopetalous plants with free ovary by the regular flowers 

 having stamens almost always 2, and always fewer than the 4 (some- 

 times 5 or more) divisions of the corolla, the ovary 2-celled and 

 (except in Jasminum and Forsythia) with one pair of ovules in 

 each cell : style if any only one, rarely 2-cleft. A few are nearly 

 or quite polypetalous ; others apetalous. 



1. Calyx and corolla with 5-8 lobes A single erect ovule and seed in each cell. 



1- JASMINUM. Corolla salver-shaped, the lobes convolute in the bud. Stamens 

 2, included in the tube. Ovary and the berry -like fruit 2-lobed, 2-seeded. 



2. Calyx and corolla with the parts in fours, or sometimes (in Fraxinus) one or 

 both wanting. Ovules hunyiuy, usually a pair in each cell, many in No. 2. 

 Leaves opposite, except accidentally. 



* Leaves simple : flowers perfect and complete. 

 *- Ovules and seeds numerous or several in each cell of the ovary and pod. 



2. FORSYTHIA. Corolla golden yellow, bell-shaped, 4-lobed, the lobes con- 



volute in the bud. The 2 stamens and style short. Pod ovate. Leaves 

 deciduous. 



- -t- Ovules a pair in each cell, but the seeds often feicer. 



3. SYRINGA. Corolla salver-form, the lobes valvate in the bud, the tube much 



longer than the 4-toothed calyx. Fruit a pod, 4-seedecl, flattened contrary 

 to the narrow partition, 2-valved, the valves almost conduplicate. Seed* 

 slightly wing-margined. Leaves deciduous. 



4. LIGUS1RUM. Corolla short funnel-form, with spreading ovate obtuse lobes, 



valvate in the bud, white. Fruit a 1-4-seeded black berry. Leaves firm 

 and thickish, but deciduous. 



5. OLE A. Corolla short, bell-shaped, or deeply cleft into 4 spreading lobes, white. 



Fruit a drupe, the hard stone often becoming 1-celled and 1-seeded. Leaves 

 evergreen. 



6. CHIONANTHUS. Corolla white, 4-parted, or of 4 very long and narrow linear 



petals slightly or scarcely united at their base; to which the 2 (rarely 3 or 

 even 4 in cultivation) very short stamens barely adhere. Fruit a fleshy and 

 globular drupe, the stone becoming 1-celled and commonly 1-seeded. Leaves 

 deciduous. 



* * Leaves pinnate : flowers polygamous or dioecious, in most species apetalous. 



7. FRAXINUS. Calvx small, sometimes obsolete or wholly wanting. Petals 4, 



2, or none. Anthers large. Fruit a simple samara or'key (Lessons, p. 131, 

 fig. 300), usually becoming 1-celled and 1-seeded. Leaves deciduous. 



