312 EUONYMUS. [CLASS V. ORDER I. 



Au erect shrub, from four to eight feet high, with green smooth 

 bark, and numerous straight branches opposite, divaricating, of four 

 obtuse angles when young, afterwards becoming round. Leaves 

 opposite, ovate-lanceolate, quite smooth, shining, the margins finely 

 serrated, on a short footstalk, with a strong mid-rib and slender 

 branched veins. Stipules awl-shaped, very small, and soon falling 

 away. Inflorescence a small cyme of few flowers, on a naked pedun- 

 cle from the axis of the leaves. Flowers small, greenish white, on 

 short slender footstalks, having a foetid odour ; around the base of each 

 footstalk is a thickened glandular ring. Calyx of four or five flat 

 obtuse short segments, having at the bottom a flattish shield-like 

 glandular disk. Petals four or five, alternating with, and much larger 

 than the calyx, ovate oblong, whiteish green, waved and veiny, inserted 

 under the margin of the disk. Stamens four or five, from the middle 

 of the disk, filaments short, bearing rather large yellowish anthers, 

 formed of two cells, and attached by their base to the filament. Style 

 short. Stigma obtuse, emarginate. Capsule of a fine rose colour, 

 from three to five cells, but mostly four, smooth, obtusely angular, 

 surrounded at the base by the persistent calyx and glandular disk, and 

 crowned by the persistent pistil, each cell bursting at the outer angle, 

 and containing a single ovate ascending seed, surrounded either 

 entirely or only in part with a succulent orange-coloured arillus, the 

 albumen fleshy, surrounding a straight embryo, cotyledons flat, large, 

 veiny, having a short inferior radicle. 



Habitat. — Woods and hedges; not unfrequent in England, and the 

 South of Ireland ; King's Park, near St. Anthony's Well, and near 

 Craigmillar Castle, near Edinburgh, Scotland. 



Shrub ; flowering in May. 



The wood of the Spindle tree was formerly in great request for 

 making spindles and distafi's ; it is now chiefly used for skewers, 

 tooth-picks, and other small articles, as well as by the musical 

 instrument makers, &c. All parts of the plant have a disagreeable 

 smell, and are said to be poisonous to animals that feed upon it, except 

 the goat ; and when taken by man it acts as a strong purgative, and 

 if in a large dose as an emetic. The seeds, when powdered and 

 sprinkled amongst the hair, have been used and found an effectual 

 remedy for cleansing it of all troublesome intruders, and may be em- 

 ployed with equal advantage in the destruction of other vermin. 



It is an ornamental shrub in plantations mixed with other trees. 

 Its rather large capsules, which are generally of a line rose colour, 

 sometimes almost while, look very handsome amongst its shining 

 leaves, and continue for a long lime upon (he trees. 



