110 CELASTRACE^. (STAFF-TREE FAMILY.) 



1. C E L A S T E. U S, L. Staff-tree. Shrubby Bitter-sweet. 



Flowers polygamo-dioecious. Petals (crenulate) and stamens 5, inserted on 

 the margin of a cup-shaped disk which lines the base of the calyx. Pod glo- 

 bose (orange-color and berry-like), 3-celled, 3-valved, loculicidal. Seeds 1 or 2 

 in each cell, erect, enclosed in a pulpy scarlet aril. — Leaves alternate. Flowers 

 small, greenish, in raceme-like clusters terminating the branches. (An ancient 

 Greek name for some evergreen, which our plant is not.) 



1. C. scandens, L. (Wax-work. Climbixg Bitter-sweet.) Twin- 

 ing shrub ; leaves ovate-oblong, finely serrate, pointed. — Along streams and 

 thickets. June. — The opening orange-colored pods, displaying the scarlet 

 covering of the seeds, are very ornamental in autumn. 



2. EUdNYMUS, Tourn. Spixdle-tree. 



Flowers perfect. Sepals 4 or 5, united at the base, forming a short and flat 

 calyx. Petals 4-5, rounded, spreading. Stamens very short, inserted on the 

 edge or face of a broad and flat 4 - 5-angled disk, which coheres with the calyx 

 and is stretched over the ovary, adhering to it more or less. Style short 

 or none. Pod 3 - 5-lobed, 3 - 5-valved, loculicidal. Seeds 1-4 in each cell, 

 enclosed in a red aril. — Shrubs, Avitli 4-sided branchlets, opposite serrate 

 leaves, and loose cymes of small flowers on axillary ])eduncles. (Derivation 

 from eZ, good, and uvo^a, name, because it has the bad reputation of poisoning 

 cattle. Tourn.) 



1. E. atropurpureus, Jacq. (Burxixg-Bush. AYaahoo.) Shrub 

 tall (6-14<^ higli) and upright; leaves petio/ed, OA'al-oblong, pointed; parts of 

 the (dark-purple) flower commonly in fours ; pods smooth, deepli/ lobed. — N. Y, 

 to Wise, Neb., and southward ; also cultivated. June. — Ornamental in autumn, 

 by its copious crimson fruit, drooping on long peduncles. 



2. E. Americ^nus, L. (Strawberry Bush.) Shrub Ioav, upright or 

 straggling (2-5° liigli) ; leaves almost sessile, thickish, bright green, varying 

 from ovate to oblong-lanceolate, acute or pointed ; parts of the greenish-purple 

 flowers mostly in fives; pods roxf/h-urn-ti/, depressed, crimson when ripe; the 

 aril and dissepiments scarlet. — Wooded river-banks, N. Y. to 111., and south- 

 ward. June. 



Var. obovatUS, Torr. & Gray. Trailing, with rooting branches ; flower- 

 ing stems 1-2° high; leaves thin and dull, obovate or oblong. — Low or wet 

 places; the commoner form. * 



3. PACHYSTIMA, Raf. 



Flowers perfect. Sepals and petals 4. Stamens 4, on the edge of the broad 

 disk lining the calyx-tube. Ovary free ; style very short. Pod small, oblong, 

 2-celled, loculicidally 2-valved. Seeds 1 or 2, enclosed in a Avhite membrana- 

 ceous many-cleft aril. — Low evergreen shrubs, with smooth serrulate coria- 

 ceous opposite leaves and very small green flowers solitary or fascicled in the 

 axils. (Derivation obscure.) 



1 . P. Canbyi, Gray. Leaves linear to linear-oblong or oblong-obovate, 

 obtuse, S"-V long; pedicels very slender, often solitary, shorter than the 

 leaves ; fruit 2" long. — Mountains of S. W. Va. 



