782 



CORNACE^. 



[Epigynous Exogens. 



Order CCXCVIII. CORNACEtE—Cornels. 



Caprifoliacese, § Cornea, Kiinth Nov. G. Amer. 3. 430.— Cornea, DC. Prodr. 4. 271. (1830) ; Endl. Gen. 



clxv. ; Meisner, p. 143. 



Diagnosis. — Unibellal Exogetis, with a 2- or more-celled fruit without a clouUe epigynous 

 disJc, tetramerous flowers, a valvate corolla, and ojn^osite leaves icithout stipules. 



Trees or slirubs, seldom herbs. Leaves (except in one species) opposite, entire or 

 toothed, mth pinnate veins. Stipules 0. Flowers capitate, umbellate, or corymbose, 



naked or ^^dth an involucre, occasionally by 

 abortion J ? • Sepals 4, superior. Petals 4, 

 oblong, broad at the base, inserted into the 

 top of the calyx, regular, valvate in sestiva- 

 tion. Stamens 4, inserted along with the 

 petals and alternate with them ; anthers 

 ovate-oblong, 2-eelled. Ovary adherent, 2- 

 or perhaps 3-celled, crowned by a disk ; 

 ovules solitary, pendulous, anatropal ; style 

 fihform ; stigma simple. Drupe berried, 

 crowned by the remains of a calyx, with a 

 2-celled nucleus. Seeds pendulous, solitary. 

 Embryo in the axis of fleshy albumen, and as 

 long ; radicle superior, shorter than the two 

 oblong cotyledojis. 



These plants were formerly confounded 

 with Caprifoils, on account of the general re- 

 semblance between Cornus and Viburnum ; 

 they however represent an entirely distinct 

 Order, as theu* habit and general characters 

 sufficiently indicate. From Caprifoils their 

 polypetalous structure removes them. To 

 Witch Hazels they appi'oach more nearly, 

 but differ in the valvate aestivation of their 

 corolla. Sec. &c. In many respects Cornels 

 resemble Loranths, from which they differ 

 among other things in the stamens being opposite to the sepals, and in the flowers being 

 polypetalous. HoUyworts are sometimes compared with them, but they have a superior 

 finiit and erect o^Tiles. If Garryads were not amentaceous, and had petals and bisexual 

 flowers, they would approach Cornels very nearly, and probably do in fact represent 

 them in the diclinous sub-class, as seems to be proved by the genus Pukateria, whose 

 flowers are S ^ . To Umbelhfers they also approach very closely, being cliiefly dis- 

 tinguished by their tetramerous flowers, succulent fruit, and single style, to which may 

 be added their opposite leaves. Such Cornels as Cornus suecica and florida, and Bentha- 

 mia have the inflorescence and mvolucre of an Umbellifer. As to Ivy worts, it is hard 

 to say in what manner they can be distinguished if we neglect the opposite leaves, the 

 tendency to form a pau' of cells in the fniit rather than a larger number, and, in fact, 

 the tetramerous structure of the flower generally. 



Found all over the temperate parts of Europe, Asia, and America. It is doubtful 

 whether the African genera belong here. 



The bark of C. florida, sericea, and cu'cinata, is said to rank among the best tonics of 

 North America, nothing havmg been found in the United States that so effectually 

 answers the purposes of Peruvian bark in intermittent fevers. It is a remarkable fact 

 that the young branches of Cornus florida, stripped of their bark and rubbed with their 

 ends against the teeth, render them extremely white. From the bark of the fibrous 

 roots the Indians exti'act a good scarlet colour. Lamp oil has been obtained from the 

 seeds of Cornus sanguinea. The Cornus of the ancients was the present Cornehan 

 Cherry (Cornus mascula), whose little clusters of yellow starry flowers stud its naked 

 branches, and are among the earliest heralds of spring. Its fruit is like a small plum. 



Fig. DXVIII. 



Fig. DXVin.— Benthamia japonica.- Sicbold. 

 3. a head of fi-uit ; 4. a section of a seed. 



1. a flower ; 2. a perpendicular section of the pistil ; 



