OLEASTER FAMILY. 377 



D. odora, Thunb. (D. Japomca and D. Sinensis). Sweet Daphne. 



Greenhouse shrub from China, with bright green, lance-oblong leaves, 

 and terminal clusters of while or pale pink sweet-scented flowers, in 

 winter. 



CI. ELiEAGNACEiE, OLEASTER FAMILY. 



Silvery-scurfy shrubs or small trees, often having dioecious 

 inconspicuous flowers, the calyx tube of the fertile ones itself 

 inclosing the ovary, becoming fleshy and ripening into a sort 

 of berry around the akene-like true fruit, the seed of which is 

 erect. Otherwise much like tlie i)receding family. Leaves 

 entire. 



1. EL^AGNUS. Flowers perfect and axillarj', witlvi 4cleft calyx (the border deciduous). 



Stamens 4, inserted on the throat. Style linear, the stigma on the side. Fruit drupe- 

 hke, containing a long S-grooved stone. Leaves alternate. 



2. SHEPHEKDIA. Flowers dioecious, the calyx 4-eleft and. in the pistillate flowers, in- 



closing the ovary. Stamens 8, alternating with 8 projections on the disk. Style 

 slender. Fruit bcrrj'-like. Leaves opposite. 



1. ELiEAGNUS, OLEASTER. (Greek : .<;rtrj-ef? oZiVe, first applied to 

 the Cliaste tree.) Small trees or l)ushes, with light or white foliage. 



* Fcdicels much longer than the flowers or fruit (l'-3'). 



f. Idngipes, Gray. Gocmi. (E. edilis of nurseries.) Diffuse tall 

 bush with ova! thin leaves, green above and silvery-shining below, and 

 single axillary flowers followed by hanging, oblong, rusty-punctate drupes. 

 Japan. Cult, for the edible fruit. 



* * Pedicels little, if at all, exceeding the flowers. 



E. arg^ntea, Pursh. Silver Bkruy. Wild from Minn., W., and 

 sometimes cult.; 6'^-12° high, stoloniferous, the young branches bearing 

 rusty .scales ; leaves elliptic or lanceolate and undulate, silvery-scurfy 

 and rusty ; flowers numerous and fragrant, followed by round-ovoid an*d 

 mealy edible fruit. 



£. hortensis, Bieb. Oi.eastet;. Tall shrub or small tree, often spiny, 

 cult, from the Old World for the whiteness of its cottony shoots and 

 under surfaces of the narrow-lanceolate or lance-ovate, mostly obtuse 

 leaves ; flowers small and yellowish inside, but silvery without, fragrant, 

 followed by small red fruits. The Russian Olive, somewhat planted in 

 the West, is var. Songdrica, Bernh. 



2. SHEPHERDIA. (John Shepherd was once curator of the Liver- 



l)ool Botanic Garden.) 



S. Canadensis, Nutt. A low shrub along our northern borders, with 

 oval leaves, soon green above, but silvery and with some rusty scurf 

 beneath, 4-i)art('il flowers, and yellowish berries. 



S. argentea, Nutt. Blkfalo Beuuv. Shrub throuuli tlie ]ilain.s and 

 mountains far W. and N. W., and planted for oriianicut and fruit, has 

 oblong leaves with narrowed base, silvery botii sides, and edible acid red 

 berries. 



