RHAMNACE^. 83 



side, but not hard and glossy like those of Ternstroe- 

 miaceas : usually all in one plane, facing upwards 

 (bifarious). 



Flowers small and greenish, with yellow centres (disc) : 

 in bunches (cymes, fascicles, or small umbels) at the leaf- 

 axils. Sepals and petals either five or four. Stamens 

 as many quite short, and in some genera covered by the 

 spoon-shaped petals. Ovary of two (or three) cells sur- 

 rounded by or imbedded in the yellow disc. The nature 

 of the disc, whether it completely fills the calyx cup, and 

 so covers the ovary, or is only a saucer-shaped lining to 

 it is used to class the genera in their *' tribes. " Fruit 

 fleshy, with one to three stones, quite free from the rest 

 of the flower or girt up to its middle by the calyx tube (i.e., 

 partly inferior). 



Species 500, in all parts of the world, wherever trees grow. 

 In Europe the common and the Alder-Buckthorn, Rhamnus 

 cathartica Z. and R. frangula L. Ger, Wegdorn are wild. 

 R. alaternus, and various species of Ceanotus and Pomaderris 

 are common in English gardens. 



Na7ne said to ha7)e 'been taken frofn the Celtic word EAM me acting a 

 tiift of branches^ in allusion to the habit of the Buckthorn. 



Flowers flat, or receptacle hemispheric, not woolly, rhamnus. 

 Receptacle egg-shaped, very woolly pomaderris. 



RHAMNUS. F.B.I. 42 V. 



Buckthorn. 



Shrubs and trees with alternate penninerved leaves 

 and small greenish flowers fascicled in the leaf-axils ; 

 characterised by the disc being only a thin lining to 

 the hollowed receptacle (not filling it), and the fruit a 

 berry-like drupe, girt at the base by the remains of the 

 calyx. Petals small, spoon-shaped, enclosing the 

 stamens. 



6.A 



