296 LXIX. CORNACE^. Cornus. 



Order LXIX. CORNACE^.— Cornels. 



Trees and shrubs, seldom herhs, without stipules. ,r • ^ j u .v, -„ f ,„ 



Lvs. opposite (alternate in one species), with pinnate veinlets. Hairs fixed by the centre. 



C'aZ.— Sepals adherent to the ovary, the limb minute, 4 or 5-toothed or lobed. 



Cor.— Petals 4 or 5, distinct, alternate with the teeth of the calyx. 



Sta. of the same number as petals and alternate with them. 



Ova. 1 or 2-celled. Fruit a baccate drupe, crowned with the calyx. 



Genera 9. species 40. They are natives throughout the temperate zone 9f both continents. The order 

 is distinguished for its bitter and astringent bark. That of Cornus florida is an exceUent tonic, simUar m 

 its action to the Peruvian bark. Cornus is the only N. American genus. 



CORNUS. 



Lat. cornu, a horn ; from the hardness of the wood of some species. 



Calyx 4-toothed, segments small ; petals 4, oblong, sessile ; sta- 

 mens 4; style 1 ; drupe baccate, with a 2 or 3-celled nui.—Trees^ 

 shrubs or perennial herbs. Lvs. {mostly opjiosite), entire. Fls. in cymes^ 

 often involucrate. Floral envelops valvate in estivation. 

 * Flovjers cymose. Involucre 0, Shrubs. 



1. C. STOLONIFERA. Michx. (C. alba. Wang.) White-berried Cornel or 

 Dog-wood.—St. often stoloniferous ; branches spreading, smooth: shoots vir- 



gate ; lvs. broad-ovate, acute, pubescent, hoary beneath; cymes naked, flat; ber- 

 ries white.— A small tree, N. and W. States, and Can., 8— lOf in height, with 

 smooth, slender, spreading branches, which are commonly red, especially 

 in winter. It often sends out from its base prostrate and rooting stems, 

 with erect shoots. Leaves distinctly veined, minutely pubescent, and whitish 

 tomentose beneath, petiolate and pointed. Flowers in terminal c\Tiies, white, 

 followed by bluish-white drupes. According to Dr. Bigelow, it sometimes blos- 

 soms twice a year. May, Jn. 



2. C. SERiCEA. Red Osier. 



Branches spreading ; branchlets woolly ; lvs. ovate, rounded at base, acu- 

 minate, ferruginous, pubescent beneath ; cymes depressed, woolly ; drupes bright 

 blue.— U. S. and Can. A varietv has leaves tapering at base. A shrub about 

 8f high, with opposite, dusky, purple branches, and dark-red .shoots. Leaves 2 

 — i' long, i as wide, varying from ovate and oval to lanceolate, nearly smooth 

 above, with rather prominent veins ; petioles \—V long. Flowers yellowish- 

 white appearing in June. 



3. C. ciRCiNATA, JRoimd-leaved Cornel w Dog-v-ood. 



Branches verrucose ; lvs. orbicular or very broadly oval, white tomentose 

 beneath ; cyvies spreading, depressed ; drupes light-blue. — A shrub some 6f high, 

 Can. to Md., W. to la. Stem greyish, upright, with opposite, cylindrical, 

 green, spotted or warty branches. Leaves large, about as broad as long, oppo- 

 site, acuminate, covered with a white, thick down on the under side. Flowers 

 white. Berries hollowed at base, soft, crowned with the remains of the style. Jn. 



4. C. PANicuLATA. White or Panicled Coi-nel. 



Branches erect, smooth ; lvs. ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, acute at base, 

 scabrous above, hoary beneath ; cymes paniculate ; drupes white. — A handsome 

 shrub, lOf high, common in low woodlands and thickets, N. and W. States and 

 Can. It has numerous and very branching stems, covered with a greyish bark, 

 the shoots chestnut-colored. Leaves small, (1—2' long, §— f wide). Petioles 

 1 — 4" long. Flowers small, white in all their parts, in many .small, conical 

 cymes, succeeded by small drupes. 



5. C. ALTERNIFOLIA. 



Lvs. alternate, oval, acute, hoar}^ beneath ; branches alternate, verrucose ; 

 drupes purple, globose.— A small tree, N. and W. States and Can., about twice 

 the height of the last, in moist woods. The branches are smooth, even, spread- 

 ing from the upper part of the stem, and forming a depressed summit. Bark 

 greenish, marked with warty streaks. Leaves irregularly scattered along the 

 branches, oval-lanceolate, acute, entire, veined, whitish underneath, on rather 

 long stalks. Flowers pale buflf-color, in a loose cyme. Jn. 



