1996 



XANTHOXYLUM 



XEKANTHEMUM 



2757. Leaf of Prickly Ash 

 Xanthoxylum America- 

 num(X^). 



Showing paired prickles re 

 sembling stipular spines. 



very particular as to soil and position. Prop, by seeds 

 and by suckers or root-cuttings. 



The genus contains about 140 species in the tropical 

 and subtropical regions of both hemispheres, and a few 

 in temperate regions. Trees 

 and shrubs, with mostly 

 prickly branches: most parts, 

 particularly the fruits, emit 

 a strong aromatic odor when 

 bruised: lvs. odd-pinnate, 3- 

 foliolate or rarely simple: fls. 

 dioecious or polygamous, 

 small, in cymes or panicles; 

 sepals, petals and stamens 3- 

 8, sepals often wanting; pis- 

 tils 3-5: fr. composed of 1-5 

 separate small dehiscent cap- 

 sules each with 1-2 shining 

 black seeds. Several species 

 are used medicinally. The 

 wood of some W. Indian spe- 

 cies and that of the Austra- 

 lian X. braehyacanthum is 

 considered valuable. The 

 fruits of X. piperitum are 

 used like pepper in Japan. 



Americanum, Mill. (X. frax- 

 ineum, Willd. X. ramiflorum, 

 Michx.). Prickly Ash. Fig. 

 2757. Shrub or small tree, at- 

 taining 25 ft., with prickly 

 branches: lfts. 5-11, opposite, 

 almost sessile, ovate, entire 

 or crenulate, dark green 

 above, lighter and pubescent 

 beneath, l%-2 in. long: fls. 

 small, greenish, in axillary 

 sessile cymes, appearing shortly before the lvs. : seeds 

 black Quebec to Neb. and Va. B.B. 2:353. 



piperitum, DC. Chinese or Japanese Pepper. 

 Bushy shrub, rarely small tree: branches with slender 

 prickles: lfts. 11-13, narrow-elliptic to elliptic-lanceo- 

 late, serrulate, glabrous, dark green and lustrous above, 

 paler beneath, 54-1M in. long: fls. in terminal, rather 

 dense, umbel-like corymbs. July, Aug. Japan, Corea. 



X. ailantholdes, Sieb. & Zucc. Tree, attaining 60 ft.: 

 branches with numerous short prickles: lvs. 1-4 ft. long; lfts. 

 oblong-ovate, glabrous, glaucous beneath, 3-6 in. long: fls. and 

 fr. in terminal corymbs. Japan. Handsome tree. — X. Bunged- 

 num, Maxim. Shrub, with stout, compressed prickles: lvs. 

 prickly; lfts. 7-11. ovate to ovate-lanceolate, glabrous, %-l% 

 in. long: fls. and f r. in terminal corymbs. N. China. — X. Clava- 

 Herculis, Linn. (X. Carolinianum, Lam.). Toothache-tree. 

 Pepper-wood. Small tree, attaining 30 or occasionally 50 ft.: 

 lfts. 7-17, ovate-lanceolate, pubescent beneath when young, 

 1-2% in. long: fls. and fr. in terminal panicles. April, May. 

 S. Va. to Fla. and Tex. S.S. 1-.29.—X. i>lanisjjlnum, Sieb. & 

 Zucc. Shrub, with stout, compressed spines: lfts. 3-5. elliptic 

 to elliptic-lanceolate, serrulate, glabrous, 1-2 in. long: fls. and 

 fr. in small panicles on sliort lateral branchlets. Japan. — X. 

 schinifdlium, Sieb. & Zucc. Shrub, with sparingly prickly 

 branches: lfts. 13-19. elliptic-lanceolate, crenate, emarginate 

 at the apex, %-lK in. long: fls. and fr. in large, terminal co- 

 rymbs. Japan. Alfred Rehder. 



XENIA. The immediate influence of pollen — the 

 influence on the fruit that results directly from a 

 given pollination. 



XERANTHEMUM (Greek, dry flower: it is one of the 

 "everlastings"). Oompdsitce. There are four or five 

 species of Xeranthemum, of which X. annunm is one 

 of the oldest and best known of the "everlastings" or 

 immortelles. They are inhabitants of the Mediterranean 

 region. They are annual erect herbs, densely pubescent 

 or tomentose. The heads are rayless, but the large in- 

 volucre scales are petal-like and persistent, giving the 

 plant its value as a subject for dry bouquets. Outer flow- 

 ers few and sterile, inner ones fertile; receptacle chaffy; 

 involucral scales in many series, of various lengths, gla- 

 brous; heads solitary on long naked peducles. 



The culture of Xeranthemum is very simple. Seeds 

 are usually sown in the open, where the plants are to 

 stand ; but they may be started indoors and the seed- 

 lings transplanted. Hardy or half-hardy annuals. 



annuum, Linn. Fig. 2758. Annual, 2-3 ft. tall, erect, 

 white - tomentose : lvs. alternate, oblong- lanceolate, 

 acute, entire: heads purple, 1-1 H in. across, the longer 

 scales wide-spreading and ray-like. S. Europe. — Runs 

 into many varieties. Var. liguldsum, Voss (X. plenls- 

 simum and X. imperiale, Hort. ). A double or half- 



Sea 



2758. Xeranth 



double form. Var. perliguldsum, Voss (A", superbissi- 

 mum, Hort.), has very full double heads. In these and 

 the single types there are white-fld. (var. album), rose- 

 fld. (var. rose uvi ) and purple-fld. (var. purpureum) va- 

 rieties. There are also violet-fld. forms. Var. multifld- 

 rum, Hort. (var. compactum) has a more compact and 



