290 



CORNACE.E. 



little clusters of yellow starry flowers are among the 

 earliest heralds of spring. Its fruit is like a small plum, 

 with a very austere flesh, but after keeping it becomes 

 pleasantly acid. The Turks still use it in the manufac- 

 ture of sherbet. A similar species is commonly culti- 

 vated in Japan for the sake of its fruit, which is a con- 

 stant ingredient in the acid drinks of that country. The 

 shrub now common in gardens under the name of spotted 

 Laurel (Aucuba Jap6nica) belongs to this order. 



CORNUS SANGufNEA (Wild Cornel, Dog-wood). 



1. CORNUS (Cornel). Characters described above. 

 (Name, from the shrub so called by the Latins, from the 

 horn-like nature of its wood.) 



