CHAPTER VIII. 



CORNELIAN CHERRY. (CORNUS.) 

 NATURAL FAMILY CORNACEJE. (Dogwood or Cornel.) 



[Name derived from Cornu, a horn, alluding to the hardness of the wood. In 

 L'rench, CornouiOer ; Dutch, K&rnoelje ; German, Kornd Kirscte ; Italian, Cory- 

 m>lo; Spanish, Oorngo.] 



GENERAL CHARACTERS. 



The species constituting this genus are mainly deciduous 

 shrubs or small trees. Flowers small, inconspicuous, but 

 in some species they are surrounded by a large and showy 

 involucre, which is sometimes called the flower, as in one 

 of our native species, ( Cornus floridd]. There is but one 

 known species which produces fruit worthy of our atten- 

 tion. 



CornilS inascula. Cornelian Cherry. Shrubs growing 

 ten to twenty feet high, with smooth branches; leaves 

 oval, acuminate, of a dull green color; flowers small, yel- 

 low, in clusters, produced early in spring, before the leaves ; 

 fruit oblong, about one inch in length and half an inch in 

 diameter ; color bright reddish-scarlet ; flesh firm, slightly 

 juicy when ripe, acid, not particularly agreeable in its raw 

 state ; fruit ripens in September, but remains a long time 

 on the bush, which makes it exceedingly ornamental. 

 10* 225 



