Vermont Shrubs and Woody Vinics isT 



ARROW-WOOD FAMILY. VIBURNUM 



Several species of llicse coinmoii and attractive shrubs 

 have high value for ornamental planting. They have opposite 

 leaves, white flowers, usually in rather showy flat clusters, in 

 some cases the marginal ones being larger, and conspicuous 

 red or bluish berries. In noting the color of the fruit, how- 

 ever, it should be remembered that this often passes through 

 intermediate reddish stages before reaching its mature color. 

 The arrow-woods are often confused with the dogwoods from 

 which they are distinguished by the fact that the berry contains 

 one flattened stony seed, whereas the dogwood berries have an 

 oval, two-celled, two-seeded stone. All the dogwoods have entire 

 leaves whereas nearly all the viburnums have leaves more or less 

 toothed or lobed. The name arrow-wood suggests the fact that 

 the Indians found the straight shoots of some of these shrubs 

 serviceable for arrow shafts. 



1. Flower clusters with some marginal flowers much larger than 

 the rest; mature fruit red 2 



1. Flowers all of same size in cluster; mature fruit generally blue 



black ( red under 4 ) 3 



2. Leaves with three to five heavy veins radiating from the base 



(palmate); coarsely 3-lobed High cranberry-bush. 



2. Leaves with 1 midrib (pinnate); finely toothed Hobble-bush. 



3. Leaves with three to five heavy veins radiating from the base 



(palmate); usually more or less 3-lobed 4 



3. Leaves with 1 midrib (pinnate); never lobed 5 



4. Leaves soft-downy beneath; flower clusters one and one-half 



to two inches wide, terminal, mature berries blue-black. 

 ^ Maple-leaved arrow-wood. 



4. Leaves nearly or quite smooth beneath; flower clusters one-half 



to one inch wide, lateral; mature berries red. 



Few-flowered cranberry-bush. 



5. Leaves coarsely toothed 6 



5. Leaves finely toothed or entire 7 



C. Leaf-stalks (petioles) downy and very short (less than one- 

 fourth inch) leaves velvety-downy especially underneath. 



Downy arrow-wood. 



