203 AMPELIDE^. (VINE FAMILY.) 



i^ Thomless shrtibs icith 2ye)'sist€?it, coriaceous leaves, ajid racemedjloijcers. 



1. R. Alateriius, L. 5 Zifrin. 2 to 4, glabrous. Leaves pe- 

 tioled, ovate to elliptical, .04 to .07 long, remotely dentate. Racemes 

 axillary and terminal, short, dense ; calyx-lobes lanceolate, acute ; 

 petals ; drupe black, ovate-globular, as large as a small pea ; seed 

 yellow, with open groove — SjDring — Copses and hillsides ; common 

 along coast and in mountains to 1000 m. 



* * Tliorny shruls or small trees, tcith persistent leaves and clustered flowers- 



t Shrubs, with sliort-petioled leaves and alternate hrancTies. 



2. R. punctata, Boiss. 5 '47^«w- 1 to 2, branches stiff intri- 

 cate. Leaves entire, glabrescent above, puberulent and netted-veined 

 below, obovate, oblong, or elliptical, with revolute margins, some- 

 times pellucid-dotted. Drupe as large as a small jjea ; groove of seed 

 narrow, not lifid — Late spring — Coj)sesand hedges ; common. 



Var. Palae§tiiia. Leaves remotely crenate,flat — Common (i?. 

 PalcBstina, Boiss.) 



Var. angustifolia, Post. Leaves linear, and linear-spatJiulate, 

 with strongly revolute margins — Mountain above Wadi Qondtl (North 

 of Lattakia plain.) 



3. R. Kurdica, Boiss. et Hoh. 5 1 to 2.5, branches zigzag. 

 Leaves pale green, tomentellous, obovate- or oblong-spathulate, obtuse 

 or acutish, remotely crenulate. Drupe as large as a marrowfat pea, 

 mottled, groove of seed Ufid — May and June — Copses and hedges 

 — Amanus to Aintab, Marash, and northward. 



Var. obcordata, Post. Leaves sometimes olcordate — Castle of 

 Banias. 



Further study may show the last two species to be varieties or R. 

 oleoides, L. 



t t Small trees, tcitJi long p)etioled leaves, the upper op)p)osite. 



4. R. petiolari§, Boiss. 5 2 to 4, branches spreading. Leaves 

 a little longer than petiole, glabrous, oblong to elliptical, often .04 

 long, cuneate, round, or cordate at base, abruptly acuminate, crenate, 

 3-5-nerved. Drupe as large as a small pea — June — Aintab to Marash 

 and northward. The fruits, which are used as a dye stuff, under the 

 name of Persian Seeds, are exported to Europe. 



* * * Thornless shriibs with deciduous leaves, and clustered flowers. 



5. R, Liibaiiotica, Boiss. 5 Tiffdhh-larri. 2 to 3, procumbent 

 at base. Leaves rounded at base, ehort-petioled, ovate or oblong, den- 

 ticulate, yellowish puberulent on both sides, veins pinnate, 12-15 on a 

 side. Drupe black, as large as a currant — Summer — Alpine Lebanon 

 and Antilebanon to Amanus and northward. 



Order XXXI. AMPELIDE^. (Vine Family). 



Shrubs^ with watery juice ^ usually cliinMng hy tendrilsy 

 with small, regular, hermaphrodite or dioecious flowers, a 

 minute truncated ^-Moothed calyx, lined hy a sometimes 

 urn-shaped dish, 4-5 petals inserted on outer margin of 

 dish, vah)ate^ alternate with calyx-teeth, and stamens as 



