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CELASTRACE^. (STAFF-TREE FAMILY.) 



3. M. ^ latifolia, Swartz. Smooth ; branchlets 4-angled ; leaves opposite, 

 coriaceous, obovate, rounded or emarginate at the apex, narrowed at the hm-c 

 into a short petiole, the margins revolute and obscurely crenate ; cymes axillary 

 and terminal, shorter than the leaves, widely spreading, few-flowered, or in the 

 more sterile plant many-flowered ; sepals roundisli.much shorter than the oblong 

 petals; disk witli four emarginate lobes alternating with the stamens; ovary 

 2-celled, with a single suspended ovule in each cell ; stigma sessile, 2-iobed ; 

 drupe ovoid, 1 -seeded; embryo large, in thin albumen. — South Florida. — 

 Shrub 8° - 10° high. Leaves 1' long. 



2. SCHJEFFERIA, Jacq. 



Flowers dioecious. Sepals 4, barely united at the base, rounded, 3-fuiTowcd. 

 Petals 4, spatulate-oblong, much longer than the calyx. Stamens 4. Ovary 

 2-celled. Stigmas 2, sessile. Drupe dry, 2-celled, 2-sceded. Embryo iji oily 

 albumen. Radicle inferior. — Shrubs or trees, with alternate leaves and small 

 greenish flowers in axillary clusters. 



1. S. frutescens, Jacq. Smooth; leaves obovate-oblong, entire, acute or 

 obtuse ; flowers 3-5 in a cluster, the slender pedicels arising from a wart-like 

 peduncle ; drupe globose. — Soutli Florida. — A small tree with hard and close- 

 grained wood. Leaves 1 i' long, pale green. 



3. EUOIfYMUS, L. Si-indlk-tree. 



Flowers perfect. Calyx flat, 4-5-cIeft. Petals 4 -.5, spreading. Stamens 

 4 - .5, very short, inserted with the petals under the broad and fleshy disk which 

 surrounds the ovary. Ovary 3-5-celled, with 2 erect or resupinate ovules in 

 each cell. Style very short. Capsule 3-5-eelled, loculicidally 3-5-valved. 

 Seed enclosed in a red pulpj' aril. — Erect or trailing shrubs, with 4-angled 

 branches, opposite serrate leaves, and greenish or purplish flowers in axillary 

 pedunded cymes. 



1. S. Americanus, L. (Strawberry Bush) Flowers greenish, 

 pentamerous ; peduncles 1 - 3-flowered ; capsule warty ; leaves short-petioled, 

 varying from ovate or obovate to linear-lanceolate, serrulate. — Low shady 

 woods, Florida and northward. May and June. — Shrub 3° - 6° high. Leaves 

 l'-2' long. 



2. E. atropurpureus, Jacq. Flowers purple, tetramerous ; peduncles 

 many-flowered ; capsule smooth ; leaves oblong, on rather long petioles, serru- 

 late. — River-banks, Florida and northward. May and June. — Shrub 8°- 12° 

 high.. Leaves 2' -5' long. Flowers dark purple. 



4. CELASTRUS, L. Staff-tree. 



Flowers somewhat dioecious. Calyx cup-shaped, 5-cleft. Petals .'5, spreading. 

 Stamens .5, inserted with the petals into the edge of the cup-shaped fleshy disk 

 which fills the tube of the calyx, abortive in the fertile flower. Ovary 2-4- 

 celled, the cells 2-oviiled. Style thick. Capsule globose, commonly 3 celled 



