682 



DIOECIA TRETANDRIA. 



A shrub 6 — 15 feet high, stoloniferous, branches virgate, erect^ the smnll 

 branches expanding, bark glabrous, smooth, when very young pubescent. 

 Leaves alternate, perennial, glabrous, shining, coriaceous. Flowers in axil- 

 lary clusters, each peduncle trillorous. Peduncles short, slightly pubescent. 

 Teeth of the calyx very minute. Segments of the corolla obtuse. Fila- 

 ments shorter than the corolla, into which they are inserted between the seg- 

 ments. Berry globose, scarlet, 4-celled. Seed^ one in each cell, boney, 



Tliis is a handsome shrub, aUhough its flowers are not conspicuous. It 

 forms neat hedges, but not sufficiently strong to resist hogs and cattlej they 

 are therefore only used as ornaments along the borders of gardens. 



Grows in loose soils; very abundant near the ocean. A strong decoction 

 of this plant is used by the tribes of the Creek Indians at the opening of 

 their councils. They send annually to the sea-coast for a supply of the 

 leaves. It acts as a mild emeticj hence the name given it in the Hortus 

 Kewensis. It is universally known in this country as the Cassena, its old 

 and appropriate name. But even if the name of Alton should be retained to 

 this plant, it is surely incorrect to apply the name of Cassena to another spe- 



cies, and one to which, in this country, it is never given. 

 Flowers March and April. 



6. Pripsoides. 



I. foliis decidiiis^ o- 

 vali-lanceolatis^ utriii- 

 lie acutis, sei ratis; pe- 



imculis 1-floiis, fertili- 

 bus solitariis. 



Leaves deciduous^ 

 oval-lanceolate, acute 



at each 

 peduncles 



end, serrate; 

 1-flowered, 



the fertile soUtary 



Sp. pi. 1. p. r09. Mich. 2. p. 229- Pursh, 1. p. llS/ Nutt. 1. p. l^- 

 J. Decidua, Walt. p. 241. 



A shrub 6 — 8 feet high, and sometimes, I belieVe, becoming a small tree. 

 Branches somewhat virgate. Leaves lanceolate, slightly acuminate, glab- 

 rous with appressed serratures. (I find that the leaves, as well as flowers oi 

 the sterile plant are always smaller than those of the fertile; in each the flow- 

 ers appear to be clearly hermaphrodite, but in one always abortive* Vv^ 

 Baldwin.) 



Grows in dry sandy soils* 



Flowers April — May. , * 



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