CLASS V. ORDER HI.] VZBURNUM. 439 



used for the purpose of making tubes for tobacco pipes. This is sup- 

 posed to be the plant mentioned in Virgil, 



" Quantum leuta solent inter vibuma cupressi." 



The pubescence upon the leaves is a beautiful object for examination 

 under the microscope, and a good example of stellated down. 



2. V. O'pulus, Linn. (Fig. 502.) Common Guelder-rose, or Water 

 Elder. Leaves three or ti ve lobed, smooth, the lobes acuminated, 

 toothed, petioles with glands, the outer flowers radiant, larger, neuter. 



English Botany, t. 332. English Flora, vol. ii. p. 107. Hooker, 

 British Flora, vol. i. p. 146. Lindley, Synopsis, p. J32. 



A small much branched tree or shrub, with pale smooth shining 

 bark. Branches opposite, round, rather brittle. Leaves opposite, quite 

 smooth above, large pale green, mostly of three, sometimes of five 

 lobes, each lobe with an acuminated point, and a rather large mostly 

 irregularly toothed margin, paler on the under side, with a stout mid- 

 rib and numerous branched veins, smooth, or more or less clothed with 

 pale simple down, especially on the ribs and veins, footstalks channeled 

 above, somewhat dilated at the base, and on the edge towards the top 

 are several cup-shaped glands, and towards the base narrow leafy 

 appendages. Inflorescence large terminal cymes, on short smooth fur- 

 rowed footstalks. Flowers numerous, crowded, white, those of the 

 centre rather small, bell-shaped, with a limb of five rounded segments, 

 those of the circumference radiating, much larger, irregular, plane, of 

 five large unequal lobes, and without either stamens or pistils. Bracteas 

 long, linear. Calyx of five very small teeth, crowning the fruit. Sta- 

 mens with awl-shaped filaments, longer than the corolla, the anthers 

 yellow, ovate. Stigmas obtuse, sessile. Fruit drooping, fine scarlet, 

 ovate, smooth shining berries, very succulent. Seed flat, ovate, mi- 

 nutely dotted. 



Habitat. Woods, hedges, and coppices ; frequent, in damp places 

 in England, Scotland, and Ireland. 

 Shrub ; flowering in June and July. 



The leaves in autumn, like the last species, become of a reddish 

 colour. It is an ornamental plant in hedge rows when in flower, and 

 not less so when laden with its drooping bunches of bright scarlet 

 fruit. It is a well known plantation shrub, under the name of Snow- 

 ball tree, when by cultivation the whole of the corollas of the flowers 

 have expanded nearly as large as those of the radiant ones in the 

 wild plant, and the cymes assume a globose figure, hence it has got 

 the name of snow-ball tree, and makes a pretty variety with other 

 shrubs ; but its leaves fall away in winter, which renders it a much 

 less favourite plantation shrub than the Laurestine, another species of 

 this genus, the V. tinus, which is not uncommon in Italy and many 

 other parts of the Continent, and is preferable to the others of this 

 genus, as being evergreen, and in warm places continues in flower 

 almost all the year round. 



