Fraxinus. civ. OLEACE^. 463 



times longer than the calyx, limb cleft into deep, obtuse, spreading 

 segments ; stamens short, included within the tube. Capsule 2-celled, 

 2 valved. — Oriental, flowering shrubs, luith simple, eiitirc leaves. 



1. S. VULGARIS. Common Lilac. — Lis. cordate-ovate, entire, glabrous, green 

 both sides ; injlare^cence th5'rsoid ; limb of cor. subconcave. — Hungary. There 

 are many varieties of this beautiful shrub, a. Corolla lilac-purple, in a dense 

 ihyrse. /?. carulea. Fls. purplish-blue. y. alha. Cor. white, thyrse subcom- 

 pound. — One of the most popular shrubs, beautiful in foliage and "flowers. 



'2. S. Persic.4. Persian Lilac. — Lvs. lanceolate, acute, smooth, both sides 

 green, sometimes pinnatifid; llvib of the cor. flattish. — Persia. A smaller shrub 

 than the first, with smaller thyrses of Avhite or lilac-blue flowers. The leaves 

 vary from entire to pinnatifid", small at flowering time. Apr. May. 



2. LIGUSTRUM. 



Lat. ligo, to bind, from the use made of its shoots. 



Calyx minutely toothed ; cor. tube short, limb with spreading, 

 ovate lobes ; sta. 2 ; sty. very short ; berry 2-celled, 2 — 4-seeded ; 

 seeds convex on one side, angular on the other. — Shrubs with simple 

 Ivs. Fls. in terminal panicles, tetramerous. 

 L. vuLGARE. Privet. Prim. 



Lvs. lanceolate and obovate, acute or obtuse, on short petioles; panicle 

 dense, terminal. — A smooth shrub, 5 — 6f high, in woods and thickets, N. Y. ! to 

 Va. W. to the Miss. Branches wand-like with opposite, entire, smooth, dark 

 green leaves which are 1 — 2' long, i as wide, varying from obovate to ellipti- 

 cal, with a rounded, obtuse, or acute point. Flowers small, numerous, white. 

 Anthers large, exserted. Berries black, in conical bunches, bitter. It is said to 

 have been introduced from England where it is used for hedges. May, June. 



3. CHIONANTHUS. 



Gr. x^^v^ snow, av^os ] alluding to the whiteness of the flowers. 



Calyx 4-parted, short ; cor. tube very short, limb 4-parted, lobes 

 linear, elongated ; sta. 2, inserted into the cor. tube, included ; sty. 

 very short; drupe fleshy; putamen bony, 1 -celled, 1-seeded. — Trees 

 with opposite leaves. Branchlets compressed. Racemes terminal and 

 axillary. 



C. ViRoiNicA, Virginian Fringe-Tree. 



Lvs. oval and oblong-lanceolate; pediceb long, 1-flowered; cal. glabrous; 

 cor. segments linear, acute, flaccid. — An ornamental shrub or small tree, 8 — 25f 

 high, Pcnn. to Tenn. ! on mountains. Leaves coriaceous, smooth. Flowers in 

 rather dense, pendulous panicles. Petals snow-white, 8—10" in length. Drupes 

 oval, purple. May, Jn. •\ 



(i. marHima. Pursh. Lvs. obovate-lanceolate, membranaceous, pubescent; 

 panicles very loose. — In low, maritime woods, N. J. -f 



4. FRAXiNUS. 



Gr. (ppa^ii, a «eparntion ; in allusion to the easy separation of its annual layers into lamins. 



Flowers dioeciously polygamous; Staminafe fls. (often perfect). — 

 Calyx (J or 3 — 4-parted ; corolla or 4-petaled ; stamens 2. Pistil- 

 late /is. — Calyx and corolla as the perfect; samara 2-celled, by abor- 

 tion 1 -seeded. — Trees. Lvs. uncfjualli/ pinnate. Fls. paniculate, the 

 staminate ones densely so. 



1. F. Amrricana. (F. acuminata. La???.) Whit^ Ai'h. 



Lfh. petiolate, o! long, shining, entire or slightly toothed, acuminate, glau- 

 cous beneath ; jls. cajyculatc. — The white ash is one of the mo!rt dcsimble ten- 

 ants of our forests. It is chiefly confined to the northern parts of the U. States 

 and Canada. Few trees exceed it in the beauty and magnitude of its propor- 



