58 Class IV. Order I. 



place of the former leaves. The leaves, which are small at the 

 flowering time, are opposite, petioled, oval acute, entire, nearly 

 smooth, paler beneath, and marked as in others of the genus 

 with strong, paralled veins. The flowers, which are very 

 small, grow in heads or sessile umbels, upon peduncles an inch 

 or more in length. At the base of each bunch is the large 

 spreading involucre, constituting the chief beauty of the tree 

 when in flower. This involucre is composed of four white, 

 nerved, obovate leaves, having their point turned abruptly down 

 or up, so as to give them an obcordate appearance. The point 

 has frequently a reddish tinge. Calyx superior, somewhat bell 

 shaped, ending in four obtuse spreading teeth. Petals four, ob- 

 long, obtuse, retlexed. Stamens, four erect, the anthers oblong, 

 with the filaments inserted in their middle. Style erect, shorter 

 than the stamens, with an obtuse stigma. The fruit is an oval 

 drupe of a glossy scarlet colour, containing a nucleus with two 

 cells and two seeds. The bark of this tree is a bitter tonic 

 used in medicine. Woods, Q,uincj r , Dedham. June. 



Subgenus flowers cymed, without an in- 

 volucre. 

 CORNUS ALTERNIFOLIA. VHe.r. Alternate leaved Cornel. 



Branches warty ; leaves alternate, ovate, acute, 

 whitish underneath; cymes spreading. 



A small tree somewhat resembling the next species, but larger, 

 its leaves somewhat smaller, and arranged about the stem with- 

 out order. Fruit purple, smaller than in C. alba. Swamps 

 rare. June. 



CORNUS ALBA. .L. White, berried Cornel. 



Branches recurved ; leaves opposite, broad, ovate, 

 hoary underneath ; cymes naked, flat. VHer. 



A shrub or small tree with spreading branches, and ovate, 

 acuminate leaves, whitish underneath. Cymes without involu- 

 cres, as are the rest of this subgenus. Flowers white, succeeded 

 by white fruit. In rich ground it sometimes blossoms twice a 

 year. Roxbury, Cambridge. 



