76 CELASTRACE^. (sTAFF-TREE FAMILY.) 



3. M. ■? latifolia, Swartz. Smooth ; branchlcts 4-anglcd ; leaves opposite, 

 coriaceous, ohovate, rounded or cmarginato at the apex, narrowed at the base 

 into a sliort ])etiulc, the margins revolute and obscurely crenatc ; cymes axillary 

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

 more sterile plant many-flowered ; sepals roundish, much shorter than the oblong 

 petals ; disk with four cmarginate 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. SCH^FPERIA, Jacq. 



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

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

 2-cclled. Stigmas 2, sessile. Drupe diy, 2-ceIled, 2-scedcd. Embrj'O in oily 

 albumen. Eadifle 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 As-art-like 

 peduncle ; drupe globose. — South Florida. — A small tree witli hard and close- 

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



3. EUOWTTMUS, L. Spindle-tree. 



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

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

 surrounds the ovary. Ovary 3 - ."i-cclled, with 2 crcct or rcsujiinatc ovules in 

 each cell. Style very short. Capsule 3-5-celled, loculicidally 3-5-valvcd. 

 Seed enclosed in a red pulpy aril. — Erect or trailing shrubs, witli 4-angled 

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

 pcduncled cymes. 



1. E. Americanus, L. (Strawberiit Brsii) Flowers greenish, 

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

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

 woods, Florida and northward. May and June. — Shrub 3° - C° iiigh. Leaven 

 1'- 2' long. 



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

 many-flo\v( icil ; (iqihule sniootli ; leaves oblong, on rather long petioles, serru- 

 late. — Kivcr-l)anks, Florida and northward. May and June. — Shrub 8°- 12° 

 high. Leaves 2' - 5' long. Flowers dark i)urple. 



4. CELASTRUS, L. Staff-tree. 



Flowers somewhat difcrious. Calyx cup-shaped, .'i-cleft. Petals ."i, spreading. 

 Stamens ."j, inserted with tiic petals into the edge of the cup-shaped fleshy disk 

 wiiich fills the tul>e of the calyx, ahortive in the fertile flower. Ovary 2-4- 

 ccllcd, the cells 2-ovul(d. Style tlii' k. Capsule globose, commonly 3 celled 



