Handbook oi' Timj-s oi- tiik Xokiii kk-.n Siaii.s axu ('a.nada. 4r»3 

 THE BUMELIAS. (^enus BL'MI:LI.\ S\v. 



Small trws and shrubs with more or less spiniscent braiidUets and of about L'O species, 

 uatives of the western hemisphere, 5 being found within the United States and t'unr r)f these 

 are small trees. 



Lvarc!) alternate on vigorous shoots or cluslcred on s])ur-like lateral hraiiclijcis. roudnpii- 

 rate in the bud. oblaneeolate to obovatc elliptical, more or li'ss silky toini'iilosi' biMifath. short 

 petiolate. FIdirrr.s with slender pedicels, in crowded axillary fascicles; calyx subcampainilnte. 

 with r» unequal lobes; corolla oainpanulate. white, .")-lobed, the rounded lobes and their ai)pend- 

 ases ecjual ; stamens with short filiform (ilameiits and sanitate anthers; ovai-y conical, 

 ovoid hirsute with simi)le i)ointed style stigmatic at ajiex. Fruit an oblong. oI)ovoid, or sub- 

 plobose i)lack dru])e. solitary or few together, with thin flesh and large seed having a thick 

 smooth li^lit brown erustaceous testa, basal hilum, large straight embryo with thick fleshy 

 cotyledons ;ind no albumen. 



'l"hc name is the classical Greek for the Ash-free transferred to this genus. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES. 



Loaves beiicnih, pedicels and calyx tomentose B. lanuginosa. 



Leaves beneath, pedicels and calyx glabrous or nearly so B. lycioides. 



For species see pp. SIG-Stl and the follou-infj: 



Smooth ok Hicktiiorn Bumelia, B. lycioides (L.) Gaertn. f. An interesting small 

 tree of the southern states, ranging sparingly as far north as into southern Virginia and 

 southern Illinois. Leares mostly oblaneeolate or oblong-lanceolate. Ti/^-4 in. long, cuneate at 

 base, usually acute or acuminate at apex, glaucous bright green above, paler and glabrous (or 

 somewhat pubescent at first) and finely reticulate beneath, thinnish. deciduous; ])etioles about 

 \<2 ill- long; branchlets glabrate and mostly unarmed. FIntrers (in midsummer) in crowded 

 glabrous fascicles, jiedicles about 14 in. long; calyx glabrous. Fruit oblong to subglobose, 

 black, about ^l. in. long. 



EBONY FAMILY. EBENACE.^ \^ext. 



Trees and shrubs of wide distribution mostly in tropical countries and of about 27."» 

 species grouped in H genera. The following single genus is rejiresented in the riiiied States 

 by 2 species — one widely distributed in the Atlantic states and the other in Texas and northern 

 Mexico. 



Leaves simple, altertiate, entire and without stipules. Flowers small, mostly di(ecious or 

 polygamotis, solitary or in cymes, axillary, regular; calyx 8-7-lol)ed. inferior, persistent; corolla 

 with 3-7 convoluted lobes, deciduous; stamens more numerous than the lobes of corolla and 

 inserted on its tube, with short filaments and erect introrse anthers ; disk none ; ovary superior, 

 several-celled, with 1-3 suspended ovules in each cell ; styles 2-8. Fruit a berry subtended by 

 the enlarged persistent calyx and containing oblong seeds with small axile embryo and copious 

 albumen. 



THE PERSIMMONS. Gexus DIOSPEROS L. 



This genus, consisting of about lOfl species widely distributed in tropical regions and most 

 abundant!}' in southern Asia, is the most important of the family. Some of its representatives 

 yield the ebony of commerce and others valuable fruits. 



Leaves alternate, simple, entire, and without stipules. Flowers di<rcious, i)olygamous. or 

 rarely perfect, regular, solitary or in cyines in the axils of the leaves of the season ; calyx in- 

 ferior. 3-7-lobed. i)ersistent and commonly accrescent: corolla hyjiogenous. regular. .'>-7-lobed. the 

 lobes convolute in the bud : disk none ; stamens 2-3 times as many as the lobes of the corolla and 

 inserted on its tube, some imperfect in the pistillate flowers ; filaments short and anthei-s 

 2-celled, introrse ; ovary; several-celled with usually 2 anatropous suspended ovules in each 

 cell; styles 2-S. Fruit a berry with from 1-several seeds; seed with axile embryo in fleshy 

 albumen. 



The name is from two Greek words meaning the u-heat or food of Jove. 

 For species see pp. S1'S-^7!K 



SWEET-LEAF FAMILY. SYMPLOCACE.^ Miers. 



A family of the following single genus of trees and shrubs. 



Ijcnres simple, alternate, without stipules; bmls scaly. Flowers regular, mostly perfect 

 and yellow, in axillary or lateral clusters; calyx .">-lobed. campanulate. the tube adnate to the 

 ovary; corolla deei)ly .^)-l()bed. with imbricated lobes; disk none; stamens innnerous, more or 

 less united at base into clusters, with long filiform filaments and small 2-celIi>d anthers opening 

 laterally: ovary 2-.'">-celled with siini>le style, terminal stigma and usually 2 auiUropous ovules 

 suspeiMled in each cell. Fruit usually a dry drupe crowned witii the iiersistent calyx-lobes, 

 thin flesh and one bony stone; embryo straight in fleshy albumen. 



