216 XLVI. RHAMNACEiE. Rhamnus. 



minal ; Jfs. dicEcious. — 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. EUONYMUS. 

 Calyx flat, of 5, (sometimes 4 or 6) 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, 5-valved ; seeds 

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



1. E. ATROPURPUREUs. Jacq. Spindle T^ree. Burning Busk. 

 Branches smooth ; /r5. elliptic-lanceolate, acuminate, finely serrate, puberulent 



beneath ; pcd. compressed, man3'-flowered ; Jls. usually pentamerous. — A 

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

 5' long, h as wide, mostly acute at Ijase, on petioles \ — 1' long. Peduncles op- 

 posite, slender, 1 — 2i' long, each with a cyme of 3 — 6 flowers. Corolla dark- 

 purple, about 2^" 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, acuminate, acute or obtuse at apex, smooth ; ped. round, about 3-flow- 

 ered; jis. 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. — Lixs. oblong-lanceolate, serrate, glabrous ; ped. com- 

 pressed, 3-flowered ; jis. usually tetrandrous. — Native of Europe. A handsome 

 shrub, 4 — 12f high, sometimes tbund in shrubberies, although certainly not su- 

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



Order XLYI. RHAMNACE^.— Buckthorns. 



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



Fls. small, a.\illary or terminal, greenish, sometimes dioecious. 



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 each cell. 



Fr. a capsule, drupe or berry. 



Genera 42, species 250, distributed throughout all countries, except those in the frigid zones. Many 

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



Pc/per ties. —The berries of many species of Rhamnus are violent purgatives. The Zizyphus Jiyuba, 

 yields the weW-^nov/n jujube paste of the shops. The leaves of Ceanothus have been used as a sub- 

 stitute for tea. 



Genera. 



Calyx free from the ovary ; petals plane ; flowers minute Rlmmnus. \ 



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



L 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. BucJcthom. 



Shrub erect, with thorny branches ; lvs. ovate, doubly serrate ; fls. tetran- 

 drous, 9 5 (^ and 9 c?, fasicled; fr. subglobo.se, 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 reflexed, petals entire. Fruit black, globose, 

 and with the inner bark, powerfully cathartic. This shrub is sometimes used 

 for hedges, f 



