DICOTYLEDONS 



69 



warned against eating ^ the very attractive-look- 

 ing fruit and seeds. 



Buckthorn Family {R/iamnacece). — Two 

 species of a single genus, RJiamrmSy represent this 

 family in Great Britain. 



Common Buckthorn {Rhamnus cathartiais^ 



Fig. 18). — This is a shrub or small tree, with ob- 



ovate,2 minutely-toothed 



leaves. The flowers are 



very small, in axillary 



clusters, dioecious, /. e. 



male on one tree and 



female on another. 



There is a receptacular 

 tube with the sepals, 

 petals, and stamens on 

 the margin ; the petals 

 being in front of the 

 sepals. The pistil, free 

 within the tube, has the 

 carpels coherent, from 

 ovary to stigmas. 



The whorls vary from fours to fives in the 

 numbers of their parts. 



The fruit is a small berry, ultimately black, 

 about the size of a pea. 



^ For poisoning by Euonymics^ Mr. Blyth recommends 

 the same treatment as for Foxglove or Digitalis^ p. 138. 



2 A leaf is ovate {i.e. egg-shaped) if the broad end is 

 below ; obovate, if it be reversed. 



Fig, 18. Rhamnus catharticus ; 

 Common Buckthorn. 



