216 XLVJ. UlIAMNACEiE, Rhamnus, 



minal; fls. dioGcious. — A climbing shrub in woods and thickets, the stems 

 twining about other trees or each other, ascending to a great height. Leaves 

 alternate, stipulate, petiolate, smooth. Flowers in small racemes, greenish- 

 white. Seeds covered with a scarlet aril, and contained in a 3-valved capsule, 

 continuing upon the stem through the winter. Jn. 



3. EUONlTMUS. 

 Calyx flat, of 5, (sometimes 4 or G) united sepals ; corolla flat, in- 

 serted on the outer margin of a glandular disk ; stamens 5, with, 

 short filaments ; capsule colored, 5-angled, 5-celled, S-valved ; seeds 

 ariled. — Shrubs^ erect or trailing^ with opposite leaves. 



1. E. ATROPURPUREUS. Jacq. Spindle Tree. Burning Bush. 

 Branches smooth ; lis. elliptic-lanceolate, acuminate, finely serrate, puberulent 



beneath ; j>cd. compressed, many-flowered ; fls. usually pentamerous. — A 

 smooth shrub, 4 — lOf high, in shady woods, U. S. E. of the Miss. Leaves 2 — 

 5' long, J as v/ide, mostly acute at base, on petioles i — 1' long. Peduncles op- 

 posite, slender, 1 — 24' long, each with a cyme of 3 — 6 flowers. Corolla dark- 

 purple, about 2J" diam. Capsule crimson, smooth. Seeds covered in a bright 

 red aril. Jn. 



2. E. Americanus. Burning Bush. 



Branches smooth, 4-angled ; Ivs. oval and elliptic-lanceolate, subentire at 

 margin, aciuninate, acute or obtuse at apex, smooth ; pad. round, about 3-flow- 

 ered; fls. mostly pentamerous. — Shrub of smaller size than the preceding, with- 

 small leaves, in moist woods, U. S. and Can. Leaves * — 2' long, | as wide, 

 coriaceous. Peduncles longer than the leaves, 2, 3, or 4-flowered. Flowers a 

 little larger than in No. 1, yellow and pink, the parts in 3s, 4s or 5s. Capsule 

 dark red, warty. Seeds with a bright red aril. Jn. 



3. E. Europ;eus. — Lvs. oblong-lanceolate, serrate, glabrous ; ped. com- 

 pressed, 3-flowered ; fls. usually tetrandrous. — Native of Europe. A handsoms 

 shrub, 4 — I2f high, sometimes lound in shrubberies, althougJi certainly not su- 

 perior in elegance to E. Americanus. Mjxy — Jl. 



Order XL VI. RHAMNxYCE^.— Buckthokns. 



Shrubs or trees, often spiny. Leaves sinaple, alternate. Stipules minute or 0. 



Fls. small, axillary or terminal, greenish, someti.mes dicecious. 



CaZ.— Sepals 4 or 5, united at base, valvate in aestivation. 



Cor.— Petals 4 or 5, distinct, cucuUate or convolute, inserted into the orifice of the calyx, sometimes 0. 



Sta. opposite the petals, 4 or 5. 



Ova. superior, or half superior, with an erect ovale in eaeh cell. 



Fr. a capsule, drape or berry. 



Genera 42, specios 230, distributed throughout all countries, except those in' the frigid zones. Man? 

 are native of the U. States. Ceanothus is peculiar toN. America, 



Pr/perties. — The berries of many species of Rhamnus are violent purgatives. The Zizyphus Jujuba, 

 yields the well-known jwjMieyaaJe of the sliops. The leaves of Ceanothus have been used as a sub- 

 stitute for tea. 



Genera. 

 Calyx free from the ovary ; petals plane ; flowers minute. ....... Rham?}tis. t 



Calyx adherent to the ovary at base ; petals unguiculate Ceanothus. 2 



I. RHAMNUS. 

 Calyx urceolate, 4 — 5-cleft ; petals 4 — 5, emarginate, inserted upon 

 the calyx ; ovary free, 2 — 4-celled ; styles 2 — 4, more or less united ; 

 fruit drupaceous. 3 — 4-seeded. — Small trees or shrubs. Lvs. mostly 

 alternate. Fls. minute. 



1. R. CATHARTicus. BucHhom. 



Ski'ub erect, with thorny branches ; lvs. ovate, doubly serrate ; fls. tetran- 

 drous, 9 $ c? and 9 (j^, fasicled; fr. subglobose, 4-seeded. — A shrub, 10 — I5f 

 high, in mountains and woods, Mass. and N. Y., rare. Leaves nearly smooth, 

 1 — 2' long, I as wide, in crowded clusters at the ends of the branchlets. Flowers 

 small, numerous, green. Sepals reilexed, petals entire. Fruit black, globose, 

 and with the inner bark, powerfully cathartic. This shrub is som^etimes used 

 for hedges. ± 



