68 CELASTRACE^E. 



Rocky woods. Can. to Car. (Not below the Highlands in N.Y. Torr.) W. 

 to Ark. April. Shrub, 35 feet high, covered with sharp strong prickles. 

 Leaves pinnate, sometimes prickly on the back. Flowers in umbels, small, green- 

 ish, appearing, be fore the leaves. The bark of this shrub is pungent, and is em- 

 ployed medicinally. Big. Med. Bat. iii. 156. Prickly Ash. 



2. PTELEA. Linn. Shrubby Trefoil. 

 (The Greek name of the elm, from a root which alludes to the winged seed 



Polygamo-dicecious. Sepals 3 6, (usually 4,) small. Petals 

 much longer than the sepals. Stamens alternating with the 

 petals. Torus tumid, pentagonal. Ovary 1 ; style short ; stig- 

 mas 2. Samarae membranaceous, margined, 2-celled ; cells 2- 

 or by abortion 1 -seeded. 



PL trifoliatu Linn.: leaves on long petioles, ternate; leafets sessile, 

 ovate, acuminate, odd one much attenuated at base ; flowers in panicles, 

 polvgamous, mostly with 4 stamens. 



Moist woods. Can. to Geor. W. to Miss, and Texas. June. Shrub 6 10 

 feet high. Flowers greenish-white, small, hi corymbose clusters. 



Shrubby Trefoil. 



SUBCLASS II. CALCYFLORALS. 



Calyx with the sepals more or less united at base, (gamosep- 

 alous, D. C. monophyllous, Linn.) Petals and stamens in- 

 serted into the calyx. 



ORDER XXXIII. CELASTRACE^E. SPINDLE TREES. 



Sepals 4 or 5, imbricated, inserted into the margin of a large 

 expanded disk. Petals 4 5, imbricate. Stamens alternate, 

 with the petals, inserted upon the margin or upper surface of 

 the disk. Ovary free, 2 5-celled. Fruit capsular or drupace- 

 ous. Seeds often with an aril ; albumen fleshy. Small trees 

 or shrubs, with simple leaves and small caducous stipules. 



1. EVONYMUS. Linn. Spindle Tree. 



(From Euonyme, mother to the Furies, in allusion to the injurious effects pro- 

 duced by the fruit of this plant. Hook. Br. Fl.) 



Calyx 4 5 -cleft, having a peltate disk within. Petals 4 5. 

 Stamens inserted upon glands at the margin of the disk. Cap- 

 sule with 3 5 angles and as many cells and valves. Seeds 

 covered with a colored fleshy aril. 



1. E. Americanus Linn. : branches opposite, smooth, square ; leaves op- 

 posite, subsessile, varying from elliptic-lanceolate to oval-obovate ; smooth, 



