258 CELASTRACE^. Obeophila. 



smooth, deeply lobed. — Jacq. hort. Vind. 2. t. 120 ; Wilkl. sp. 1. p. 1132 ; 

 Michx. ! fl. 1. p. 155; DC. prodr. 2. p. 4; EU. sk. 1. p. 293; Torr. I Ji. 

 1. p. 261. E. Caroliniensis & latifolius, Marsh. arhiLsi. p. 43. 



B.7 leaves glabrous, often obtuse at the base; peduncles 2-3-flowered, 

 (" flowers pentandrous," Nutt.) — E. occidentalis, Niott. J 7nss. E. atropur- 

 pureus ? Hook. Ji. Bor.-Am. 1. p. 119. 



In shady woods. Upper Canada ! to Florida ! west to Kentucky ! and 

 Missouri! p. Oregon, in dark woods, Douglas., Nutt all ! June- July. — 

 Shrub 4-12 feet high ; the branches slightly 4-sided. Leaves 2-5 inches 

 long. Petals dark purple. Capsule crimson when mature. Seeds nearly 

 white, invested with a bright red succulent aril. — Burning-bush. Spindle- 

 tree. 



2. E. Americanus (Linn.): branches smooth, 4-sided; leaves varying 

 from elliptical-lanceolate to oval-obovate, on very short petioles ; rather ob- 

 scurely serrate, glabrous ; peduncles 1-3-flowered ; parts of the flower most- 

 ly in threes or fives; petals roundish-obovate ; capsules depressed-globose, 

 verrucose-echinate. — Willd. sp. I. c. ; Walt. Car. p. 102 ; Mich.r. ! I. c. ; 

 Duha.m. arb. 3. t 9; Ell. sk. 1. p. 292 ; DC. I. c. ; Hook. I. c. ; Darlingt. 

 fl. Cest. ed. 2. p. 150. E. sempervirens. Marsh, arbust. p. 43. 



a. erect; leaves oval or elliptical-lanceolate, the uppermost often slightly 

 falcate, mostly acuminate, acute or obtuse (rarely subcordate) at the base. 



/?. leaves narrowly eUiptical or oblong, slightly falcate, the margin minutely 

 serrate. 



y. trailing and often rooting ; leaves ovate-lanceolate. — E. Americanus /?. 

 sarmentosus, Nutt. gen. 1. p. 154. 



S. trailing and rooting ; leaves obovate or oval-obovate, obtuse or slightly 

 acuminate, acute at the base. — E. obovatus, Nutt. ! I. c. ; DC. I. c. 



In moist woodlands, Canada ! to Florida ! and west to Missouri. May- 

 June. — Branches slender, green. Leaves 1-2 inches long, coriaceous, nearly 

 evergreen in the Southern States. Parts of the flower mostly in threes or 

 fives. Segments of the calyx very short and roundish. Petals greenish-yellow, 

 tinged with purple. Capsule deep crimson when mature, slightly angled, 

 densely muricate or warty ; the dissepiments and arU scarlet. Seeds smaller 

 than in the preceding, 1-3 in each cell. — Both species are very ornamental 

 in autumn when the fruit is ripe. — Straw-berry-tree. Burning-bush. 



3. E. angustifolius (Pursh) : branches 4-sided ; leaves linear-elliptical 

 and elongated, subsessUe, rather falcate, almost entire ; peduncles mostly 1- 

 flowered ; sepals always five ; fruit verrucose-muricate. Pursh., JI. 1. p. 168. 



In shady woods, Georgia, Lyo7i ex Pursh. — Specimens of this plant which 

 we have seen in the herbaria of Muhlenberg and Collins certainly appear 

 different from E. Americanus; but the characters of the leaves will probably 

 not be found constant, and there seems to be no other difference. 



4. OREOPHILA. Nutt. mss. 



Sepals 4, united below into a short turbinate calyx-tube, persistent. Petals 

 4, inserted under the edge of the disk, roundish, somewhat concave, spread- 

 ing. Stamens 4, alternate with the petals, inserted into the margin of the 

 broad and flat nearly entire disk, which covers the ovary and adheres to the 

 throat of the calyx-tube : filaments rather short: anthers roundish. Ovary 

 immersed in, but free from the calyx-tube, the summit coherent with the disk, 

 2-ceUed, with 2 erect collateral ovules in each cell : style very short : stigma 

 capitate, obscurely 2-lobed. " Fruit an oval, coriaceous, compressed, 2-ceLled, 

 2-seeded (or by abortion 1-seeded) capsule. Seed erect, rather large, with. 



