BUCKTHORN FAMILY 



(Rhamnacece) 



Shrubs or small trees, with simple leaves and small flowers. 

 Petals, calyx lobes, and stamens 4 or 5 each; the stamens oppo- 

 site the petals. 



CASCAKA SAGRADA (Rhamnus calif arnica, Esch.). Flowers 

 small, greenish white, in umbel-like clusters. Leaves ever- 

 green, alternate, thin-leathery, elliptic oblong entire or mi- 

 nutely toothed, 1 to 3 inches long. A shrub or small tree from 

 4 to 15 or 20 feet high, common throughout California, bloom- 

 ing from February to April; the flowers succeeded in the au- 

 tumn by dark crimson or black berries, j to \ inch in diameter. 



Cdscara sagrdda is Spanish for "sacred bark," and was so 

 termed by the Spanish-Californians, who value it for its medi- 

 cinal properties. A tea made of the bark is both tonic and 

 mildly laxative. Its value is now widely known, and large 

 quantities of the bark of the closely allied Rhamnus Purshi- 

 ana, DC. (which is found in Oregon and Washington and at- 

 tains a height of sometimes 30 feet) are annually gathered for 

 the market. Both species so thoroughly run into each other 

 that it is a question if one name does not really cover both. 

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