382 IXXX. EBENACES. Diospyros. 
8f high. Leaves narrowed at base into a short petiole, uncinately serrate, with 
prominent, pubescent veins beneath. Flowers white, dim@cious, small, in im- 
perfect umbels or heads, sometimes monecious. Berries scarlet, in little 
bunches (apparently verticillate), roundish, 6-celled and 6-seeded, permanent. Jl. 
2. P. ampicuus. Michx. Dubious Winter Berry. 
Lvs. deciduous, oval, entire, acuminate at both ends; parts of the fis. in 4s, 
the sterile ones crowded, the fertile solitary—aA shrub or small tree, 8—15f 
high, in wet grounds, Mid. States. Bark whitish, smooth. Leaves elliptic-oval, 
mucronate-pointed, petiolate, subpubescent beneath, 1—2’ long and half as wide. 
Flowers polygamous, 4—5-cleft, the fertile ones on long peduncles. June. 
3. P. LavicAtus. Pursh, 
Lvs. deciduous, lanceolate, appressed-serrulate, glabrous on both sides, 
shining above, minutely pubescent on the veins beneath; fls. hexamerous, 
axillary, subsessile, #'scattered,pedicellate—In swamps and marshes, Northern 
and Western States! S. to N. J. Shrub 6—9f high, with grayish and warty 
branches. Leaves 2—3’ by 8—12’, acute at each end; petioles 6—10” long. 
Flowers mostly solitary, the sterile on pedicels near 1’ long, the fertile pedicels 
scarcely } aslong. Berries large, red. June. 
4. P. LANCEoLATUS. Pursh. 
Las. lanceolate, acute at each end, finely and remotely serrulate, glabrous 
both sides; g' flowers aggregated, triandrous, 9 generally in pairs, peduncu- 
late, 6—numerous ; Jerrics small, scarlet.—Barrens and marshes, Western (Rid- 
dell) and Southern States! Shrub 6—8f high.—l am wholly unacquainted with 
this species as a western plant, but have specimens collected in N. J.? by Dr. 
Robbins. The leaves are paler beneath, 2—3’ (including the petiole 3—6’’) by 
3—14/, veins beneath pubescent, ferruginous. Pedicels of the barren flowers 
are 1/ long, of the tertile }’ long. June. 
5. P. cuaper. Ink Berry. Evergreen Prinos. 
Las, evergreen, coriaceous, cuneate-lanceolate, glabrous, shining, serrate 
at the end.—A beautiful shrub 3—4f high, found in swamps, Mass.! R.I.! to 
N. Y. and Car. Leaves very smooth, leathery, shining, 1—14’ by 5—7”, broad- 
est above the middle. Pedicels subsolitary, 1—3-flowered. Flowers white, 
mostly 6-parted. Berries roundish, black and shining. June, July. 
Orper LXXX. EBENACEAL.—Ebsonaps. 
Trées or shrubs without milky juice and with a heavy wood. 
Lvs. alternate, exstipulate, coriaceous, entire. Injlorescence axillary. J 
Fis. by abortion dicecious, seldom perfect, Cal. free, 3—6-cleft, divisions nearly equal, persistent. 
Cor. regular, 3—6-cleft, often pubescent, imbricate in eestivation. 
Sta. twice or four times as many as the lobes of the corolla. 
Ova. with 3 or more cells. Style with as many divisions. 
Fr. a fleshy, oval or globose berry. 
nee species 160, mostly natives of the Indies and the tropics, one only being found as far north as 
ew York. 
Proper ties.—Diospyrus is remarkable for the hardness and dark color of the wood. Ebony is the wood 
of D. Ebenus, Ebenaster, and other sete natives of Africa. The fruit of the oe below is eatable 
when fully ripe, although extremely bitter and astringent before maturity. The bark is eminently febri- 
and astringent. 
DIOSPYROS. 
Gr. Avs mvpos, the fruit of Jove; the fruit, although excellent, hardly merits the name. 
Fis. 32. Cal. 4—6lobed; cor. tubular or campanulate, 4—6- 
cleft, convolute in wstivation. d' sta. 8—50, mostly 16; fil. shorter 
than the anthers; ova. abortive; sty. 0. Q sta. mostly 8, without 
anthers; sty. 2—4-cleft; berry ovoid or globose, 4—12, mostly 8- 
celled, cells 1-seeded.—A large genus of shrubs or trees, mostly tropical. 
D. Vireintana. Persimmon Tree. : ; 
Lvs. elliptic, abruptly acuminate, entire, smooth, petiole, veins and matr- 
gin puberulent; rac. axillary, 3—1-flowered, pedicels shorter than the flowers ; 
cal, 4-parted ; s/a. 8.—In woods, lat. 42° to La., frequent. A shrub or small 
