RHAMNACE^. (BUCKTHORN FAMILY.) 85 



Btipe, 2-cellecl; Btyle short; fruit a broadly winged orbicular samara, 2-Beeded. Flowers 

 small, greenisli-wliitc, in terminal cymes or compound corymbs. 



1. P. angustifolia, Benth. A shrub 5 to 25 ft. high, with chestnut colored punc- 

 tate bark; leaves 3-foliolate. 



Order 17. CELASTRACE-ffi. 



Suffiiciently characterized by the genus 



1. EUONYMUS, Toum. 



Sepals and petals 4 or 5, widely spreading; Stamens as many very short on an angled 

 disk; ovary immersed in the disk, 3-5-valved, colored, often warty. Fruit a red aril. 

 Shiiibs, M'ith 4-angled branches, opposite petioled exstipulate serrate smooth leaves, and 

 flowers in loose cymes on axillary peduncles. 



1. E. occidentalis, Nutt. 7 to 15 ft. high; leaves ovate to oblong-lanceolate, 

 acuminate, serrulate, 2 to 4 inches long; peduncles 1-4-flowered; flowers dark reddish- 

 brown, 4 to 6 lines in diameter, the parts in fives. 



Order 18. RHAMNACEiE. 



Shrubs or small trees, with simple undivided leaves, small and often caducous stipules, 

 and small regular flowers, the stamens borne on the calyx and alternate with its lobes; 

 ovary 2 to 4-celled. Flowers often apetalous; a conspicuous disk aduate to the short tube 

 of the calyx; petals often clawed; style or stigma 2-4-lobed; fruit berry-like or dry, con- 

 taining 2 to 4 seed-like nutlets. 



Calyx and disk free from the ovary; filaments short; fruit berry-like Rhamnus. 1 



Calyx and disk adherent to the ov^ary; filaments long; fruit dry Ceanothus. 2 



1. RHAMNUS, L. 



Small greenish flowers; calyx 4-5-cleft, with erect or spreading lobes, the campanulate 

 tube persistent; petals 4 or 5 or none, on the margin of the disk; claws short; stamens 4 

 or 5; leaves evergreen. 



§ 1. Flowers dioecious, apetalous, solitary or fascicled in the axils. 



1. R. crocea, Nutt. Much branched, 3 to 15 ft. high; leaves coriaceous, oblong 

 or obovate to obicular, 3 to IS lines long, acutely denticulate, usually yellowish brown or 

 copper- colored beneath; fruit red. 



§ 2. Flowers mostly perfect in pedunctdate cymes. 



2. R, Califoruica, Esch. Spreading 4 to 18 ft. high; leaves ovate-oblong to ellip- 



