204 



THE ELM-TBEE FAMILY. 



the strawberry, red, puce-coloured, or yellow, and foliage somewhat of the same 

 form, are also very common, especially the P. Nepalensis, and all are ornamental. 

 One species, the P.fniticosa, (E. B. ii. 88.) also a native, forms a bush three or 

 four feet high, with small pinnate and hairy leaves, and yellow flowers, the latter 

 clustered at the ends of the stem's. This also is common among shrubs. One 

 of the handsomest flowers of the herbaceous Rosaceae is the Sieversia montana, a 

 plant under a foot high, with large. Urate, interruptedly pinnate leaves, and 

 yellow corollas resembling those of the marsh-marigold. The achenia have 

 hairy tails like those of the pasque-flower. Against walls is very commonly seen 

 a slender twigjij" shrub, with ovate, serrate, finely acuminate leaves, and copious 

 double orange-coloured blossoms. This is the Kerria Japonica. Ornamental 

 species of Ruhus also occur now and then, especially the R. ifpectdbilis, with 

 blossoms of a fine red. Were the family worthless as to its flowers, the raspberry 

 and the strawberrj- would suffice to make it famous, contributing no less to its 

 importance in their delicious mouthgays, than the blossoms of their kindred do 

 in nosegays. 



LIV.— THE ELM-TREE FAMILY. Ulmdcea. 



Trees with alternate, broadly ovate, pointed, strongly and often 

 doubly-serrated leaves, on very short petioles, and with a pair of 

 stipules at the base, which faU while they are still young. They are 



Fig. 133. 

 Leaf of Elm-tree. 



Fig. 1:34. 

 Fniit of Elm-tree. 



remarkable for their roughness on the upper side, and for the unsym- 

 metrical base, the lamina coming much further down upon one side of 

 the petiole than upon the other (Fig. 133), and are usually deciduous. 

 Flowers reddish-brown, in small, dense, globular, sessile bunches, 

 appearing before the foliage, and on the preceding year's twigs. 



