﻿Trees of New York State 305 



RHAMNACEAE 



Rhamnus cathartica L. 



Common Buckthorn, Waythorn, Plumberry 



Habit — A large shrub or small tree occasionally becoming 30 feet in height 

 with a stout trunk 6-12 inches in diameter. Bole short, dividing 2-5 feet 

 above the ground into a number of stout, ascending limbs which form an 

 oblong or globular, bushy crown. 



Leaves — Chiefly subopposite, more rarely alternate, tufted, broadly ovate 

 or oval, 1^/^-3 inches long, abruptly acute or obtuse at the apex, rounded 

 or obtuse at the base, finely crenate-serrate, at maturity dark dull green 

 and glabrous above, paler and glabrous or pubescent beneath, borne on 

 slender petioles %-l inch long. 



Flowers — Appearing in May and June after the leaves in 2-5-flowered. 

 axillary clusters, green, 4-merous, dioecious. Calyx-tube in staminate 

 flower cylindrical, in pistillate flower campanulate. Calyx-lobes triangu- 

 lar, acute, ascending or somewhat reflexed. Petals narrow, shorter than 

 the calyx-lobes, inserted ^\'xth the stamens on the caJyx-tube. Stamens 

 shorter than the calyx-lobes, with awl-shaped filaments and oblong- 

 anthers. Pistil consisting of a globose, 4-celled ovary surmounted by 4 

 linear styles which are united below and bear terminal stigmas. 



Fruit — A subglobose, lustrous, black drupe, about 14 of an inch in diameter, 

 containing thin, acrid flesh and 3-4 bony nutlets. Xutlets strongly sul- 

 cate on the outer face. 



Winter character — ■ T\\'igs rather slender, pale reddish brown with a grayish 

 evanescent skin, at length brownish black. Shoots of two sorts, long 

 shoots and short, often spinulose, dwarf shoots which bear flowers and 

 tufted foliage^ during the summer. Buds ovate, acute, appressed, brownish 

 black, about V^ of an inch long. Mature bark thin, vei-y rough, nearly 

 black in color. 



Habitat — • In waste places along fence rows and highways Avhere it is mdely 

 spread through the agency of birds. Thrives on a variety of upland sites. 



Range — Europe and western and northern Asia. Introduced into the country 

 as a hedge plant and now wddely naturalized throughout the eastern 

 United States. Zones A, B, and C. 



Uses — • Its economic status in this country rests on its use as a hedge plant 

 for which it is Avell adapted because of its compact head of many small, 

 spiny branches, and the ease of propagation. The bark yields a cathartic 

 and a yellow dye. The close-grained wood is sometimes used for turnerv 

 nnd tool handles in the Old World. 



