RUBIALES. 



555 



2. SAMBUCEJ:, ELDER GROUP (Fig. 592). This has a rotate, regular 

 corolla, extrorse anthers, a very short and thick (or almost absent) 

 style, with tripartite stigmas, and only 1 pendulous ovule in each 

 of the 3 (-5) loculi of the ovary. The fruit is a " drupe" with 1-3 

 (5) stones. The inflorescence is made up of cymes grouped in an 

 umbel-like arrangement. 



Sambucus (Elder, Fig. 592) has imparipinnate leaves and a 

 "drupe " with 3 (-5) stones. Between the calyx and the style a disc 

 remains on the apex of the fruit. S. rtigra with black fruit ; S. racemosa 

 with red fruit; S. ebulus is a perennial herb ; the others are woody. Vibur- 

 num (Guelder-rose) has simple leaves (penninerved or palmi- 

 nerved, entire, dentate or lobed), and a "drupe" with only 1 stone, 

 which is compressed, cartilaginous, and parchment-like; 2 of the 

 loculi of the ovary are aborted. (In V. opulus the marginal flowers of 

 tbe inflorescence are barren, and in that case their corollas are generally 

 specially large ; the cultivated Viburnum has only barren flowers, with large 

 corollas.) 



FIG. 92. Sambucus nigra : cor corolla; s calyx. 



3. LINN.EEJE. Linncsa borealis (the only species) is an extreme form of the 

 order ; it has a '2-flowered dichasiuin, funnel-shaped, slightly bilabiate corollas 

 () ; 4 didynamous stamens. Two of the 3 loculi of the ovary have several 

 ovules which are not developed, while the third has only 1 ovule, which de- 

 velopes into a seed. The fruit is a nut, which is enveloped by the two large 

 bracteolea, which are covered by sticky, glandular hairs, and serve as a means 

 of distribution. It is a small under-shrub. 



[Adoxa, which was formerly classed in this order, appears, according to recent 

 investigations, to be more properly placed among the Saxifraginae.] 



In cases where the flowers are small, as in Sambucus and Viburnum opnlus, 

 they are rendered conspicuous by being arranged in closely-packed inflores- 

 cences ; they are massed together and form large surfaces, and in the last 

 named are still more conspicuous on account of the barren, but large ray- 

 flowers, which are of service in this respect. Honey is secreted in the nectaries 

 at the base of the styles. In the genera with rotate flowers, as Viburnum and 



