64 FIELD AND WOODLAND PLANTS 



rugged, corky bark. In woods it often reaches a height of fifteen 

 to twenty feet, though it produces flowers and fruit long before it 

 is fully grown ; and it is often seen, more or less trimmed and 

 stunted, among hedgerow shrubs. Its leaves are opposite, two 

 to four inches wide, on slender stalks, palmately veined, and 

 divided to about the middle into five obtuse, entire or crenate lobes. 

 The greenish flowers are much Uke those of the Sycamore, and 

 appear at the same time, but grow in loose, erect, axillary racemes ; 

 and the wings of the fruit always spread horizontally in a straight 

 line. On p. 337 is a photograph of a twig of this tree in fruit. 



The Spindle Tree {Euonymus europceus), the only British member 

 of the order Celastracece, is a moderately common wood and hedge- 

 row shrub which is usually from four to ten feet high, when un- 

 trimmed, bearing yellowish-green flowers during May and June. 

 Its branches are smooth, green and angular ; and its leaves are 

 opposite, shortly-stalked, oval, acute, finely toothed, with a shining 

 surface. The flowers are usually from three to five together in 

 loose axillary clusters. They have a small, flat calyx of four short 

 sepals ; four spreading petals, about a sixth of an inch long ; four 

 stamens, about half the length of the petals ; and an ovary of from 

 three to five cells embedded in the fleshy disc. The fruits are very 

 pretty, and often form a conspicuous feature of the hedgerow 

 during late summer. They are lobed capsules which open at the 

 angles, exposing the bright orange mace that encloses the seeds. 



Several of the prettiest of our trees and shrubs belong to the 

 order Rosacece, and among these we may name the Dwarf Cherry, 

 Bird Cherry, Gean, Sloe, BuUace, Hawthorn, Wild Pear, Crab 

 Apple, Service Tree, White Beam Tree, and Mountain Ash. The 

 first of these, known variously as the Wild Cherry, Dwarf Cherry, 

 and Red Cherry {Prunus Cerasus), grows from four to eight feet high, 

 and bears white flowers, in almost sessile umbels, during May and 

 early June. Its bark is of a reddish colour, and numerous suckers 

 arise from its root. The leaves are oval-oblong, smooth, fiirm, and 

 nearly erect ; and the fruit is round, juicy, and red. Although in 

 the wild state the fruit is very acid, this is the tree from which our 

 sweet, cultivated cherries have been derived. In order to distinguish 

 this from other similar species, it should be noted that the tube of 

 the calyx is not contracted at its mouth. 



The Bird Cherry (P. Padus) is found principally in North 

 England, where it is moderately common in parts. It is larger 

 than the last, often reaching a height of fifteen feet. Its leaves are 



