S^ BAMAn!CZ:i.XS. No. 45 



V 



faint teeth, commonly obtuse, end obtuse, nerves pro- 

 minent. 



Flowers on short pedicels, clustered three to five 

 together, in several places along the branches. Calix 

 small, but enlarging with the fruit, with three or 



four scales at the base, divided into four thick oval 

 pubescent segments. Petals yellow, much, longer; 

 linear, obtuse, often undulate or revolute. Stamina 

 four opposed to petals, shorter than the .calix. Pistil 

 oval central, a short style, two stigmas obtuse. Fruit a 

 nut-like Capsule, similar to a hazel-nut; but bilobed 

 and split above, pubescent, yellowish, with two cells 

 containing each an oblong black seed, with a broad 

 arilla at the base. This capsule is one year ripening, 

 and opens with elasticity and instantaneously witli a 

 noise, by twp half valves, throwing the seeds off. ^ 



LocAiiTY — From New England to Carolina and 

 Ohio, commonly on hills and mountains, near stony 

 banks of streams- Rare in plains and alluvions. 



HISTORY — This is a very singular Genus, formed 

 by Linnaeus with the Trilopus of Mitchell, which 

 name he ought not to have changed for the actual, 

 which is the Greek name of the Mespilus or Medlar 

 tree. He knew only one species, several are now 

 known, which are sometimes polygamous, monoical 

 and even dioical. They all blossom in winter, when 

 no other tree is in bloom ; the blossoms last from Oc- 

 tober to February. The fruits stand on the whole 

 year, till next fall, and then explode successively 

 with a noise, like Hura crepitanSy scattering the 

 s«edt around. These seeds are eaten bv the Indians, 



