OLIVE FAMILY 



Leaves. Opposite, simple, ovate or oblong, four to eight inches 

 long, one to four inches broad, wedge-shaped at base, entire with 

 undulate margins, acuminate, acute or rounded at apex. Feather- 

 veined, midrib stout, primary veins conspicuous. They come out 

 of the buC conduplicate, yellow green and shining above, downy 

 beneath ; when full grown are dark green above, pale below and 

 smooth except the midrib and veins which are hairy. In autumn 

 they turn a clear yellow and fall early. Petiole stout, hairy. 



Flowers. May, June ; when leaves are one-third grown. Perfect, 

 white, slightly fragrant, borne in loose, downy, drooping, bracted 

 panicles, four to six inches long, from lateral buds ; peduncles three- 

 flowered. 



Calyx. Four-parted, small, smooth, persistent. 



Corolla. An inch long, white, dotted 

 on inner surface with purple spots, 

 deeply divided into four, varying to five 

 and six, long and narrow lobes barely 

 united at base ; conduplicate, valvate 

 in bud. 



Stamens. Two, inserted on the base 

 of the corolla, extrorse ; filaments short ; 

 anthers pale yellow, ovate, two-celled. 

 Pistil. Ovary superior, two-celled ; 

 style short ; stigma fleshy, two-lobed. 



Fruit. Drupe, borne in loose clus- 

 ters, on which the bracts have become 

 leaf-like. Oval or oblong, dark blue, 

 glaucous, one-half to three-fourths of an 

 inch long, surrounded at base by the 

 persistent calyx and tipped with rem- 



Fringe-tree, Chionanthm -virginica. nants of the style. Skin thick ; flesh 

 Drupes %' to ys long. dry ; stone thin. 



The Fringe-tree is one of the most beautiful of our orna- 

 mental shrubs and although a native of the south it is hardy 

 at the north and is extensively planted. It prefers a moist 

 soil and a sheltered situation and may be propagated by 

 grafting on the ash. 



The singular appearance of its snow white flowers which 

 look like a fringe, give to it the common name. These 

 flowers appear abundantly when the leaves are half grown 

 and the foliage mass becomes a combination of soft green 

 and pure white, which is most beautiful. 



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