SYMPLOCOS SYRINGA 565 



long, I to if ins. wide; tapering at both ends, finely toothed, slightly 

 hairy above, more so on the veins beneath ; stalk J- to ?.- in. long, hairy. 

 Flowers fragrant, white, -J- in. across, produced during late May and early 

 June in terminal hairy panicles, and in the leaf-axils on small lateral 

 twigs; the whole inflorescence is ij to z\ ins. long. The stalk of 

 the axillary inflorescence appears to spring from the stem some 

 distance above the leaf-axil itself, which seems to be due to its union 

 to the branchlet. Petals five, united only at the base; stamens about 

 thirty in five clusters, one cluster attached to the base of each petal. 

 Fruit roundish oval, mostly one-seeded, becoming bright blue in 

 autumn. 



Native of China, Himalaya, and Japan ; introduced from the last- 

 named country to the United States about 1871; afterwards to England. 

 I have not seen it bearifig fruit in this country, although it flowers freely 

 and prettily. In the Arnold Arboretum, Mass., it bears fruits profusely ; 

 they are described as of "a brilliant ultramarine blue," and hanging in 

 pendulous clusters. It is best propagated by imported seeds, which 

 usually lie dormant a year. 



S. TINCTORIA, UHeriticr. Horse Sugar. Native of the south-eastern 

 United States ; introduced to this country in 1780 and several times since, 

 but not hardy. It got its name from the sweet taste of its leaves, which 

 are greedily eaten by horses and cattle. The fruit is yellowish brown, \ 

 in. long, oval, and produced in a cluster of three or four close to the stem. 



Syrnplocos is allied to Halesia and Styrax, but differs in the arrange- 

 ment of the stamens noted above. The hairs, too, on the leaves, etc., are 

 simple (not stellate). Some authors place the genus in another Natural 

 Order Symplocaceae. 



SYRINGA. LILAC. OLEACE^E. 



A group of small trees and shrubs, consisting of about two dozen 

 species, confined to the Old World. One or two are found in E. Europe, 

 the rest in N.E. Asia. The cultivated species are deciduous,, and have 

 opposite leaves, usually neither toothed nor lobed; but in one species 

 they are pinnate (S. pinnatifolia), and in another pinnately lobed 

 (S. persica laciniata). The flowers appear in panicles, often pyramidal, 

 but sometimes of indeterminate shape. Corolla tubular, with four lobes ; 

 calyx bell-shaped, unevenly toothed ; stamens two. Seed-vessel a capsule 

 of flattened or spindle shape, composed of two valves, which split from 

 the top downwards when ripe. 



There are two distinct sections of the genus : 



1. The true lilacs. Corolla-tube long, enclosing the stamens. Flowers usually purple, 

 sometimes white. 



2. The Ligustrina or privet-like group. Corolla-tube short, the stamens protruded well 

 beyond the mouth. Flowers white. This group is composed of three species S. 

 amurensis, japonica, and pekinensis. 



Among the true lilacs there is a well-marked section which form a 

 terminal bud and flower on the leafy shoots of the year, it includes, 



