lobulate, truncate to subcordate at base, obtuse to somewhat abruptly acute at 

 apex, to 1 dm. long and wide; flowers several in corymbose racemes, with 

 puberulent pedicels; calyx puberulent; petals elliptic to elliptic-lanceolate, acute, 

 about 15 mm. long; capsule about 1 cm. in diameter, puberulent, apiculate. Incl. 

 var. stellata Cory. 



Along streams and on seepage ledges in limestone canyons of Tex. Edwards 

 Plateau, Apr.-May; endemic. 



Fam. 105. Symplocaceae Desf. Sweet-leaf Family 



Tree or sometimes shrubs; leaves alternate, simple, without stipules; flowers 

 perfect, regular; calyx campanulate, adherent to the ovary, its lobes valvate or 

 imbricate; corolla with as many as 11 petals (5 in ours) that are united at base; 

 stamens in clusters at the base of each petal, in several series, free or variously 

 united at base; anthers minute, subglobose; ovary partly inferior, 2- to 5-celled; 

 ovules 2 to 4, pendulous; style 1; fruit baccate or drupaceous, crowned by the 

 calyx lobes, 1- to 5-celled, with a solitary anatropous seed in each cell. 



Two genera of about 500 species, mostly tropical and subtropical. 



1. Symplocos Jacq. Sweet-leaf 



Characters of the family. About 350 species, mostly in tropical regions of both 

 hemispheres. 



1. Symplocos tinctoria (L.) L'Her. Horse-sugar, yellow- wood. Fig. 619. 



Large shrubs or small trees to 6 m. tall; leaves elliptic to elliptic-obovate or 

 oblanceolate, tapering to the short petiole, acute to shortly acuminate at apex, 

 subentire to obscurely toothed, usually subcoriaceous and evergreen or late- 

 deciduous, glossy on upper surface, pale and minutely pubescent on lower surface, 

 to 15 cm. long and 6 cm. wide; flowers 6 to 14 in close and bracted clusters on 

 the old wood, yellow, fragrant, the clusters axillary and sessile, opening before 

 or with the leaves; petals 5, obovate, 6-8 mm. long; drupes cylindric-ellipsoid, 

 about 1 cm. long. 



In woods, Palmetto marsh areas where occasionally flooded, swamps and bot- 

 tomlands in e. Tex. and s.e. Okla. (McCurtain Co.), Feb.-Apr.; from Fla. to 

 Tex. and Okla., n. to Del. 



The sweetish leaves are much relished by browsing animals. 



Fam. 106. Oleaceae Hoffmsg. k Link Olive Family 



Trees, shrubs or rarely subherbaceous; leaves opposite or rarely alternate, simple 

 to pinnatifid or pinnate, exstipulate; flowers perfect or unisexual, regular, variously 

 disposed; calyx 4-lobed or -parted, rarely 5- to 16-lobed or wanting; corolla gamo- 

 petalous, 4-lobed or rarely 6- to 12-lobed, sometimes of distinct petals or wanting; 

 stamens 2 or rarely 3 to 5, adnate to the corolla and alternate with the lobes; 

 ovary free, 2-celled, with usually 2 ovules in each cell; style 1 or wanting, with a 

 simple or 2-lobed stigma; fruit a drupe, capsule or samara; seeds anatropous, with 

 large straight embryo, with or without albumen. 



About 30 genera with over 600 species in temperate and tropical regions. Many 

 ornamental species; a few are of economic importance and some are valuable tim- 

 ber trees. Species of the Old World jasmine {Jasminum spp.) are commonly culti- 

 vated in our area, and Olea europaea provides the olive of commerce. 



1301 



