Vo. II.] RUE FAMILY. 353 
on the somewhat elongated receptacle. Fruit (in our species) a capsule, or 
samara. Seeds oblong or reniform; embryo straight or curved; endosperm 
generally fleshy, sometimes none; cotyledons thick or foliaceous. 
About 110 genera and 880 species, most abundant in South Africa and Australia. 
Pistils 3-5, distinct; fruit fleshy, capsular. 1. Xanthoxylum, 
Pistil 1, 2-celled; fruit a samara. 2. Ptelea. 
1. XANTHOXYLUM IL. Sp. Pl. 270. 1753. 
Trees or shrubs with alternate odd-pinnate leaves, the twigs and petioles commonly 
prickly. Flowers axillary or terminal, cymose, whitish or greenish, mostly small. Sepals 
40or5,ornone. Petals4or5,imbricated. Staminate flowers with 4 or 5 hypogynous stamens. 
Pistillate flowers with 2-5 distinct pistils, rarely with some stamens. Carpels 2-ovuled. Pods 
fleshy, 2-valved, 1-2-seeded. Seeds’oblong, black and shining. [Greek, yellow-wood.] 
About IIo species, natives of temperate and tropical regions. In addition to the following 2 
others occur in the Southern States. 
Flowers in small sessile axillary cymes; calyx none. 1. X. Americanum. 
Flowers in large terminal compound cymes; calyx present. 2. X. Clava-Herculis. 
1. Xanthoxylum Americanum Mill. Prickly Ash. Toothache-tree. (Fig.2269.) 
Nanthoxylum Americanum Mill. Gard 
Dict. Ed. 8, no. 2. 1768. 
A shrub, or small tree, reaching a maxi- 
mum height of about 25°, and a trunk 
diameter of 6’. Leaves alternate, odd- 
pinnate, pubescent when young, becom- 
ing glabrous or nearly so when old; leaf- 
lets 5-II, ovate, opposite, dark green 
above, lighter beneath, nearly sessile, 
114’-2/ long, crenulate or entire, acutish; 
flowers greenish, about 114’’ broad, in ses- 
sile axillary cymes, borne on the wood of 
the previous season and appearing before 
the leaves; pedicels slender; calyx none; 
petals 4 or 5; pistils 2-5; capsules black, 
ellipsoid, about 2’’ long, on short stipes, 
1-2-seeded. 
In woods and thickets, Quebec to Virginia, 
especially along the mountains, west to west- 
ern Ontario, Minnesota, Nebraska and Mis- 
souri. Wood soft, light brown; weight per 
cubic foot 35 lbs. April-May. 
Als 
2. Xanthoxylum Clava-Herculis 
L. Southern Prickly Ash. Sea 
Ash. Pepper-wood. (Fig. 2270.) 
X. Clava-Herculis J,. Sp. Pl. 270. 1753. 
X. Carolinianum Tam. Encycl. 2: 39. 1786. 
A small, very prickly tree, with a maxi- 
mum height of 45° and trunk diameter of 
9 ’, the prickles supported on cushions of 
cork sometimes 8’ broad. Leaves alter- 
nate, odd-pinnate, glabrous, shining 
above, dull beneath; leaflets 5-17, ob- 
liquely ovate, nearly sessile, 114/-3/ long, 
‘acute, crenulate; flowers greenish-white, 
in large terminal cymes, appearing before 
the leaves; sepals 4 or 5; petals 4 or 5; pis- 
tils 2 or 3; capsules about 2’ long, sessile. 
Along streams, coast of southern Virginia 
to Florida, west to Texas and Arkansas. 
Wood light brown; weight per cubic foot 
gr lbs. June. 
