222 RHAMNACEAE. 



the 3-4-celled ovary; style 3-4-cleft. Drupe berry-like, 

 oblong or globose, containing 2-4 nut-like stones. 



Petals none; leaves pungently toothed. 



Leaves 6-12 mm. long; calyx-lobes triangular. 1. R. crocea. 



Leaves 12-40 mm. long; calyx-lobes lanceolate. 2. R. ilicifolia. 

 Petals present, minute; leaves not pungently 

 toothed. 



Leaves green and glabrous beneath, serrulate. 3. R. californica. 



Leaves tomentose, at least beneath, entire. 4. R. tomentella. 



1. R. crocea Nutt. Low, much branched, the branches with 

 short spine-like branchlets, 6-12 dm. high; leaves rigidly coriaceous, 

 about 1 cm. long, bright green above, often yellowish beneath, 

 roundish-ovate, glandular-denticulate; flowers about 3 mm. in di- 

 ameter, reddish. 



Occasional on the dry plains and in the chaparral belt of our 

 interior region. 



2. R. ilicifolia Kell. Shrub, sometimes arborescent, branches 

 scarcely spinescent; leaves green on both sides, often 2.5 cm. long; 

 flowers often 5-merous; calyx-fruit somewhat larger than in the 



type. 



Common in the chaparral belt of southern California. In foliage 

 closely resembling Prunus ilicifolia, 



3. R. californica Esch. Shrub, sometimes arborescent, 1-4 m 

 high, young parts pubescent, becoming glabrous; leaves thin- 

 coriaceous, elliptic-oblong, acute or obtuse, entire or denticulate, 

 3-5 cm. long; flowers in small umbel-like clusters, 5-merous; petals 

 small, ovate, emarginate; stamens exserted; fruit globose, 8-10 mm. 

 in diameter. 



Common in the chaparral belt of southern California toward the 

 coast. Commonly called wild cofi^ee. 



4. R. tomentella Benth. Leaves tomentose beneath, the margins 

 revolute, entire, otherwise closely resembling californica. 



The more common species in the mountains, especially in the 

 interior region. 



2. CEANOTHUS L. California Lilac. 



Unarmed or spinescent, often arborescent shrubs, with 

 alternate or opposite leaves, and small but showy white, 

 blue or purple usually fragrant flowers, in often long- 

 peduncled dense axillary or terminal clusters. Calyx 

 5-lobed. Petals 5, hooded, long-clawed. Ovary im- 

 mersed in the disk and adnate to it at the base, 3-lobed. 

 Disk adnate to the calyx. Style short, 3-cleft. Fruit 

 somewhat 3-lobed, separating at maturity into 3 nutlets. 



