LXII. 



CE7E. 



695 



flowers one upon a peduncle. Bracteas rather longer than the ovary. 

 Lobes of the calyx wedge-shaped. Drupe oblong. (Michx.) A decidu- 

 ous tree. South Carolina and Georgia. Height 70 ft. to 80 ft. ; in 

 England I Oft. to 12ft. Introduced in 1735. Flowers greenish; April 

 and May. Fruit dark blue ; ripe in September. 



GENUS II. 



OSY RIS L. THE OSYRIS, or POET'S CASIA. Lin. Syst. Dioe'cia Triandria. 



Identification. Lin. Gen. PI. ; Willd. Sp. PL, 4. p. 715. 

 Synonyme. Casia Garner., Lob., Alpin., Gesn. 



Derivation. The Osuris of Pliny and Dioscorides is so named from oxos, a branch ; from the length 

 and pliability of the branches. 



Gen. Char. Floivers apetalous, unisexual, at least in effect ; those of the two 

 sexes upon distinct plants. Male. Flowers borne in lateral racemes, about 

 3 5 in a raceme, and disposed in 1 2 pairs, with a terminal odd one. 

 Calyx spreadingly belt-shaped, 3-parted ; its aestivation valvate. Nectary 

 disk-like, 3-cornered. Stamens 3, arising from the nectary, alternate to its 

 angles, and opposite to the lobes of the calyx. Anthers of 2 separate lobes 

 that open inwards. Female. Flowers solitary. Calyx urceolate ; its tube 

 connate with the ovary ; its limb free, 3-cleft. Style single. Stigmas 3. 

 Fruit globose, fleshy, exteriorly crowned by the limb of the calyx, and the 

 remains of the style. Carpel with crustaceous brittle walls. ( Willd.) 



Leaves simple, alternate, exstipulate, deciduous or sub-evergreen ; entire, 

 small, linear lanceolate. Flowers white, peduncled. Shrub, deciduous 

 or sub-evergreen ; native of South of Euiope. 



j* 1. O. A'LBA L. The white-Jtoivered Osyris, or Poet's Casia. 



Identification. Lin. Sp. PI., 1450. ; Willd. Sp. PL, 4. p. 715. 



Synonymes. O. fbliis linearibus acQtis Lccfl. It. 169. ; O. frutescens baccifera 

 Bauh. Pin. 212. ; CSsia poetica Monspeliensium Cam. Epit. 26. ; C3sia Latinb- 

 rum Alp. Exot.41.; Casia Monspelii dicta Gesn. Spit. 50.; weisse Osyris, 

 Ger. 



Engravings. Lam. 111., t. 802. ; and our fig. 1361. 



Spec. Char., $c. Stem roundish, striated. Leaves alternate, 

 linear-lanceolate, 1 in. long, entire, glabrous. Flowers upon 

 the branchlets, peduncled. (Willd.) A low, spreading, deci- 

 duous or sub-evergreen shrub. Italy, Spain, Montpelier, and 

 Carniola. Height 3ft. to 4ft. Introduced in 1793. Flowers 

 white ; July and August. Drupe red, about the size of a pea. 



The long supple branches of this shrub were formerly used 

 for brushes, and they are still used in making crates, or 

 packing-cases, in the South of Europe. Propagated by seeds, 

 and grown in dry soil, but somewhat difficult to preserve. 



ORDER LXII. 



ORD. CHAR. Perianth tubular, entire, 2 4-lobed, persistent. Stamens 3 4 

 to 8, alternating with the segments. Anthers nearly sessile, introrse. Ovarium 

 free, 1-celled, 1-seeded. Style short. Stigma simple, subulate, glandular, 

 or tongue-shaped. Fruit enclosed in the pulpy, persistent, enlarged tube 

 of the perianth. Albumen thin or fleshy. (G. Don.) 



Leaves simple, alternate or opposite, exstipulate, deciduous; oblong or 

 lanceolate, entire. Flowers axillary. Shrubs or low trees, deciduous ; 



Y Y 4 



