GENUS 3. 



STAFF-TREE FAMILY. 



493 



i. Celastrus scandens L. Shrubby or Climbing Bittersweet. Waxwork. 



Staff-tree. Fig. 2802. 



ICelastrus bullatus L. Sp. PL 196. 1753. 

 Celastrus scandens L. Sp. PI. 196. 1753. 



A twining woody vine, ascending trees to a 

 height of 25 or more, or trailing on the ground 

 where it lacks support. Leaves alternate, some- 

 what 2-ranked by the twisting of the stem, ovate, 

 oval or obovate, 2'-^ long, i'-2 f wide, glabrous 

 on both sides, acuminate or acute at the apex, 

 acute or rounded at the base, crenulate, petioles 

 6"~9" long; flowers greenish, about 2" broad, in 

 terminal compound racemes 2'-^' in length ; petals 

 crenate, much longer than the calyx-lobes ; cap- 

 sule yellow, or orange, 5"-6" in diameter, open- 

 ing in autumn and exposing the showy red aril. 



In rich soil, Quebec to North Carolina, especially 

 along the mountains, west to Manitoba, Kansas and 

 New Mexico. Foliage sometimes variegated. June. 

 Staff-vine. Fever-twig. False bitter-sweet. Climb- 

 ing orange-root. Roxbury wax-work. Jacob's-ladder. 



Family 78. STAPHYLEACEAE DC. Prodr. 2 : 2. 1825. 



BLADDER-NUT FAMILY. 



Trees or shrubs, with mostly opposite odd-pinnate or 3-foliolate stipulate 

 leaves, and regular perfect flowers in terminal or axillary clusters. Sepals, 

 petals and stamens usually 5. Carpels mostly 3. Disk large, the stamens in- 

 serted at its base without. Anthers introrse, 2-celled. Fruit a dehiscent blad- 

 dery capsule in the following genus, indehiscent in some others. Seeds solitary 

 or few in each carpel ; testa hard ; endosperm fleshy ; embryo straight. 



About 5 genera, and 22 species, widely distributed. 



i. STAPHYLEA L. Sp. PI. 270. 1753. 



Shrubs, with opposite 3-foliolate or pinnate leaves, and axillary drooping racemes or 

 panicles of white flowers. Pedicels jointed. Sepals imbricated. Petals the same number as 

 the sepals and about equalling them. Ovary 2-3-parted, the lobes i-celled; ovules numerous 

 in each cavity, anatropous. Capsule 2-3-lobed, 2-3-celled. Seeds globose. [Greek, cluster.] 



About 6 species, of the north temperate zone. 5". Bolanderi A. Gray occurs in California. 

 Type species : Staphylea pinnata L. 



i. Staphylea trifolia L. American Bladder- 

 nut. Fig. 2803. 



Staphylea trifolia L. Sp. PI. 270. 1753. 



A branching shrub, 6-L5 high, or in the south 

 sometimes a tree up to 30 high with a trunk 6' in 

 diameter, with smooth striped bark. Young leaves 

 and petioles pubescent; mature foliage glabrate; 

 stipules linear, 4"-6" long, caducous; leaflets ovate 

 or oval, \\'-2\' long, acuminate at the apex, obtuse 

 or somewhat cuneate at the base, finely and sharply 

 serrate, the lateral ones sessile or nearly so, the 

 terminal one stalked; stipels subulate; flowers cam- 

 panulate, racemed, about 4" long; pedicels bracted at 

 the base, slightly longer than the flowers; capsule 

 about 2' long, i' wide, much inflated, the 3 (rarely 

 4) carpels separate at the summit and dehiscent 

 along the inner side. 



In moist woods and thickets, Quebec and Ontario to 

 Minnesota, South Carolina, Missouri and Kansas. April-- 

 May. 



