Haxdbook of Tkkes of the Xortiikrx States and Canada. 4r)3 

 THE BUMELIAS. Genus BUAIELIA S\v. 



lith more or less spiniscent branchlets and of about 20 species, 

 here, 5 being found wilhin the United States and four of these 



Leaves alternate on vigorous shoots or clustered on spur-like lateral branchlets, conibipli- 

 cate in the bud, oblanceolate to obovate, elliptical, more or less silky tomentose beneath, short 

 petiolate. Floirers with slender pedicels, in crowded axillary fascicles; calyx subcamjianulate, 

 with 5 unequal lobes ; corolla campauulate, white, 5-lobed, the rounded lobes and their append- 

 ages equal: stamens with short filiform filaments and sagitate anthers; ovary conical, 

 ovoid hirsute with simple pointed style stigmatic at apex. Fruit an oblong, obovoid, or sub- 

 globose black drupe, solitary or few together, with thin flesh and large seed having a thick 

 smooth light brown crustaceous testa, basal hilum, large straight embryo with thick fleshy 

 cotyledons and no albumen. 



The name is the classical Greek for the Ash-iree transferred to this genus. 



KEY TO THE SrECIES. 



Leaves i)eneath, pedicels and calyx tomentose B. lanuginosa. 



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



For si)cri(S sec pp. 376-377 cnul ihr follou-iiuj: 



SsiooTii OR Buckthorn 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. Leaves mostly oblanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, I'l/i-l 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; petioles about 

 V2 in. long; branchlets glabrate and mostly unarmed. Floirers (in midsummer) in crowded 

 gfabrous fascicles, pedicles about I2 in. long; calyx glabrous. Fruit oblong to subglobose, 

 black, about Y2 in. long. 



EBONY FAMILY. EBENACE.5: \'ent. 



Trees and shrubs of wide distrilnition mostly in tropical countries and of about 275 



species grouped in ~i genera. The following single genus is represented in the United States 



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



Mexico. 



Leaves simple, alternate, entire and without stipules. Flou-crs small, mostly dioecious or 

 polygamous, solitary or in cymes, axillary, regular ; calyx 3-T-lobed. 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 l-.^ 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. Genus DIOSPEROS L. 



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

 abundantly 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. Flon-ers diipcious, polygamous, or 

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

 ferior, B-7-lobed. iiersistent and commonly accrescent ; corolla hyi)ogenous, regular. 3-7-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 anthers 

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

 ceil; 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 wheat or food of Jove. 

 For species sec pp. 37S-.370. 



SWEET-LEAF FAMILY. SYMrLOCACE.^ Miers. 



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



Leaves simple, alternate, without stipules; buds scaly. Floirers regular, mostly perfect 

 and yellow, in axillary or lateral clusters; calyx .")-lobed. cami)anulate. the tube adnate to the 

 ovary; corolla deeply ."t-lobed. with imbricated lobes; disk none; stamiMis ntniierous. more or 

 less "united at base into clusters, with long filiform filaments and small 2-celled anthers ojiening 

 laterally; ovary 2-.'')-celled with simi)l<> style, terminal stigma and usually 2 anatroi)ous ovules 

 suspended in each cell. Fruit usually a dry drupe crowned with the persistent calyx-lobes, 

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



