852 



CORNUS 



CORNUS 



(Fig. 1062), handled in frames in summer. Horticul- 

 tural varieties of other species are mostly budded in 

 summer on seedlings of the type, or grafted in early 

 spring in the propagating-house. 



Various species of Cornus have many interesting uses. 

 Our native C. florida, which in flower is the showiest 



1063. Cornus alternifolia. 



member of the genus, furnishes a useful substitute for 

 quinine. The bark of all parts contains the same sub- 

 stances found in cinchona, but in different proportions. 

 It is inferior in effectiveness and more difficult to secure 

 in large quantities. It is sometimes possible to ward off 

 fevers by merely chewing the twigs. The powdered 

 bark makes a good tooth-powder, and the fresh twigs 

 can be used for the same purpose. The bark mixed 

 with sulfate of iron makes a good black ink. The bark 

 of the roots yields a scarlet dye. The wood, being hard, 

 heavy, and close-grained, is good for tool handles. The 

 cornelian cherry has pulpy fruits resembling cornelian 

 in color and about the size and shape of oli ves, for which 

 they can be substituted. The ripe fruits are soft and 

 rather sweet. The name dogwood comes from the fact 

 that a decoction of the bark of C. sanguined was used in 

 England to wash mangy dogs. The small red berries 

 of C. suedca (not in the trade) are eaten by the 

 Esquimaux. 



INDEX. 



A. Plants, shrubs or trees. 



B. Fls. in cymes or panicles without involucre. (Svida.) 

 c. Foliage alternate: fls. in umbel-like cymes, 



cream-colored. 



1. alternifdlia, Linn. (Smda alternifolia, Small). 

 Fig. 1063. Shrub or small tree, to 25 ft. : Ivs. slender- 



petioled, elliptic or ovate, usually cuneate, acuminate, 

 nearly glabrous above, pale or whitish beneath and 

 appressed pubescent, 3-5 in. long: cymes 1^-2^ in. 

 wide: fr. dark blue, globular, J^in. across, on red pe- 

 duncles. May, June. New Bruns. to Ga. and Ala., west 

 to Minn. S.S. 5:216. Em. 463. Wang. 51. Of very 

 distinct habit, the branches being arranged in irregular 

 whorls, forming flat, horizontally spreading tiers, as in 

 the picture. A variety which shows this habit more 

 distinctly than the common form is var. umbraculifera, 

 Dieck. Var. argentea, Temple & Beard, is a form with 

 white-marked foliage. Var. ochroleuca, Rehd., has 

 yellowish frs. 



2. controversa, Hemsl. (C. brachypoda, Koch, not 

 C. A. Mey. C. macrophylla, Koehne, not Wall.). Tree, 

 to 60 ft. : Ivs. slender-petioled, broadly ovate or elliptic- 

 ovate, usually rounded at the base, abruptly acuminate, 

 whitish and slightly hairy beneath, 3-5 in. long: cymes 

 3-4 in. wide: fr. bluish black. June. Himalayas to 

 Japan. B.M. 8261. S.I.F. 1:77. R.B. 30:63. With 

 the habit of the former, but of more vigorous growth; 

 not hardy N. Var. variegata, Rehd. (C. macrophylla 

 variegata, Barbier). Lvs. edged white. Gng. 3:67; 

 16:291. J.H. III. 28: 129; 47: 147. 



cc. Foliage opposite. 

 D. Fr. white or blue. 



E. The fls. in umbel-like flat cymes. 



F. Color of fr. white or bluish white. 



G. Under side of Ivs. with appressed hairs, glaucous. 



3. stolonifera, Michx. (C. alba, Wang.). RED-OSIER 

 DOGWOOD. Fig. 1064. Shrub, to 8 ft., usually with dark 

 blood-red branches and prostrate st., stolonif erous : 

 Ivs. obtuse at the base, ovate or oblong-lanceolate, 

 acuminate, 2-5 in. long: cymes dense, 1-2 in. wide; 

 disk usually red: fr. white, globose, with the stone 

 broader than high. May, June. From Brit. N. Amer. 

 to 111. and Calif. G.C. II. 8:679. Habit bush-like, as 

 in Fig. 1064. Var. flaviramea, Spaeth. Branches yel- 

 low. There are also varieties with variegated Ivs. 

 Var. nitida, Schneid. (C. alba var nitida, Koehne). 

 Branches green: Ivs. glossy above. Var. coloradensis, 

 Schneid. (C. alba var. C. coloradensis, Koehne). 

 Branches brownish red, strongly recurved: fr. bluish 

 white. Colo. Var. pendula, Ell. Low shrub with 

 pendulous branches. 



4. alba, Linn. (C. tatarica, Mill.). Shrub, to 10 ft., 

 with usually erect st. and bright blood-red branches, 

 mostly with glaucous bloom when young : Ivs. obtuse at 

 the base, ovate or elliptic, somewhat bullate or rugose 

 above, acute, 13^-3^ in. long: cymes dense, small; disk 



1064. Cornus stolonifera. 



