Ptelea. XXXII. ZANTHOXYLACEiE. 201 



2. O. viOLACEA. Violet Wood Sornl. 



Acaulescent, smooth; scape umbelliferous; pedicels subpubescent ; fis. 

 nodding ; tips of the cal. fleshy ; stij. shorter than the outer stamens. — An elegant 

 species, in rocky woods, &c., throughout the II. S. Bulb scaly. Scape nearly 

 twice taller than the leaves, 5 — 8' high. Leaves palmately 3-lbliate, sometimes 

 none; leaflets nearly twice as wide as long, witn a very shallow sinus at the 

 very broad apex. Umbel of 3 — 9 drooping flowers. Petals large, violet-colored, 

 striate. May. 



3. O. STRICTA. Yellaw Wood Sorrel. 



Caulescent; st. branching, erect ; pcd. umbelliferous, longer than petioles; 

 5t7j. as long as the inner stamens. — (T) Fields, U. S. and Can. The plant varies 

 in height, Irom 3 — 8' or more, according to the soil. Stem leafy, round, smooth, 

 .succulent. Leaves palmately 3-foliate, numerous, scattered on long stalks. 

 Umbels on long, axillary stalks, about the length of the petioles. Flowers 

 small, yellow, appearing all summer. Capsules sparingly hirsute, with spread- 

 ing hairs. 



4. O. coRNicuLATA. Ladies' Wood Sorrel. 



Caulescent ; st. creeping, radicating, difi"usely branching; Ifts. pubescent; 

 ped. 2 or more-flowered, shorter than the petioles ; pet. cuneiform, erose at the 

 apex; sttj. long as the inner stamens. — Grows in cultivated grounds, U. S. and 

 Can. Resembles the last, but " is undoubtedly distinct." Robbins. Stems leafy, 

 prostrate, a foot or more in length. Sepals pubescent, half as long as the emar- 

 ginate, yellow petals. Capsules densely and closely pubescent. May, and after. 



Order XXXII. ZANTHOXYLACEJS. 



Trus or shrubs, without stipules. 



Lcs. alternate or opposite, pinnate, rarely simple, with pellucid dots. 



Fis. regular, polygamous, gray, green, or pink. Sep. 3—9, small, cohering at the btise. 



Coc— Petals longer than the sepals, of the same number or o. 



Sla. alternate wfth petals, of the same number, seldom twice aj many; in the pistillate flowers either 



wantin? or imperfect. Anthfrs introrse. 

 Ova. usually of the same number as sepals, .stipitate, distinct or united. 

 Fr. baccate, membranaceous or drupaceous, or 2-valved capsules. 



Genera 20, species 110, chiefly of tropica] America, only 2 genera being native in the United States. 



P?operJ/fts.— Bitter, aromatic and stimulant; properties residing chiefly in the bark. 



Conspectus of the Genera. 



Urees, with 21— 41-foliate leaves Ailanthus. 3 



Unarmed ; shrubs, with 3-foliate leaves Ptelea. 2 



Prickly shrubs ZarUhoxylum. I 



' 1. ZANTHOXtLUM. 



Gr. ^av^os, yellow, fiiXoi', wood; from the color of the wood. 



9 Calyx inferior, 5-parted ; corolla ; stamens 3 — 6 ; pistils 3 — 5 ; 

 carpels 3 — 5, 1 -seeded ; 9 like the $ but wanting the stamens; c? 

 like the $ but wanting the pistils. — Leaves pinnately 3 — 5-foliaie. 

 Z. Amkric.\num. Miller. (Z. fraxineum. Willd.) Prickly Ash. 

 Prickly ; Ifts. ovate, subentire, sessile, equal at the base ; iimbcls axillary. — 

 A shrub 10 or r2'f high, found in woods in most parts of the U. S. The branches 

 are armed with strong, conical, brown prickles with a broad base. Leaflets 

 about 5 pairs with an odd one, smooth above, downy beneath ; common petioles 

 with or without prickles. Flowers in sma'l dense umbels, axillary, greenish, 

 appearing before the leaves. The perfect and the staminate ones grow upon 

 the same tree, and the pistillate upon a separate tree. The bark is bitter, aro- 

 matic and stimulant, used for rheumatism and to alleviate the tooth-ache. 

 Apr. May. 



2. PTELEA. 



9 5 c? Sepals 3 — 6, mostly 4, much shorter than the spreading 

 petals; cJ* stamens longer than the petals and alternate with them, 

 very short and imperfect in 9 ; ovary of 2 united carpels ; styles 



