The Trees and Shrubs of Hlngham. 141 



CELASTRACE^J. 



Nature's Waxwork (Celastrus scandens, L.) is common in 

 many parts of the town, although it seems to prefer the approxi- 

 mate neighborhood of the sea. It is a pretty climber, deriving its 

 popular name from the brilliant and artificial cbaracter of its red 

 and yellow fruit. 



RHAMNACEiE. 



The Buckthorn (Rhamnus cathartica, L.) grows sparingly in 

 Hingham. It may be found at Turkey Hill and Third Division 

 woods, possibly elsewhere growing wild, besides being cultivated 

 somewhat for hedges. 



Jersey Tea (Ceanothus Americanus, L.). This pretty little 

 shrub occurs in Lincoln Street woods, toward Huit's Cove, in the 

 woods southeast of Old Colony Hill, at Peck's Pasture, Stoddard's 

 Neck, and probably elsewhere. Tlie plant has a special interest, 

 from having been used as tea during the Revolutionary war. 



VITACEiE. 



The Wild Grape is represented in Hingham by two species, 

 the Common or Fox Grape ( Vitis labrusea, L.), and the more 

 delicate Summer Grape ( Vitis aestivalis, Michx.) with its compact 

 bunches of very small berries. This is more rare than the labrusea, 

 occurring in the woods between Old Colony Hill and Weir River, 

 as well as in Third Division, Union Street, and Lasell Street 

 woods, and probably elsewhere in town. But the labrusea is 

 found everywhere, and with its rapid growth covers the swampy 

 woods with a tropical luxuriance of rich foliage, while its small 

 and inconspicuous flowers in the spring, and dark purple or amber 

 clusters of fruit in autumn fill the air with delicious fragrance. 



The Woodbine (Ampelopsis quinquefolia, Michx.) grows in 

 every part of the township. Finest among our climbing vines, in 

 summer covering in careless profusion of foliage the gray rock, or 

 hanging in delicate festoons from tall trees, its strongly individual 

 leaves, resembling somewhat an irregular, live-pointed star, render 

 it conspicuous. But in the fall, flung with Nature's inimitable 

 grace like a scarlet mantle around the cone of a savin, its younger 

 sprays fringing here and there the flame-colored masses, there 

 is no more striking contrast in the woodlands than its brilliancy 

 and the black-green of the cedar. The deep blue of its corymbed 

 berries adds variety to the picture. 



SAPINDACE^J. 



The Maple family is represented in Hingham by the Red 

 Maple (Acer rubrum, L.), which grows everywhere in low and 



