154 ARBORETUM ET FRUTICETUM BRITANNICUM. 



Genus II. 



(TELA'STRUS L. The Cei^ast^vs, or Staff Tree. Lin. Syst. Pentandria 



Monogjnia. 



Identification. Lin. Gen., 270. ; Dec. Prod., 2. p. 5. ; Don's Mill., 2. p. 6. 

 Synonynies. Euonjinoides Mcenck ; Cfelastre, Fr. ; Celaster, Ger. 



Derivation. From kSlas, the latter season : the fruit remaining on the tree all the winter. The 

 kelastros of the Greeks is supposed to be the u6nymus. 



Gen. Char. Calyx small, 5-lobed. Petals 5, unguiculate. Ovary small, im- 

 mersed in a 10-striped disk. Stigmas 2 3. Capsule 2 3 valved. Seed I, 

 in a large fleshy aril. (Don's Mill.) 



Leaves simple, alternate, stipulate, deciduous ; stipules minute. One 

 hardy species ; a climbing shrub, a native of North America. 



\. C. sca'ndens L. The cYimhing-stemmed Celastrus, or Staff Tree. 



Identification. Lin. Sp., 285. ; Dec. Prod., 2. p. 6. ; Don's Mill., 2. p. 6. ; Tor. and Gray, 1. p. 2-57. 

 Synonymes. Bourreau des Arbres, Fr. ; Baummiirder, Ger. ; Bittersweet, Waxwork, Amer. 

 Engravings. Nouv. Du Ham., 1. t. 9.'i. ; and our^^. 211. 



Spec. Char., Sj-c. Thornless, climbing, smooth. Leaves oval, acuminate 

 serrate. Flowers dioecious. {Dec. Prod.) A deciduous twining shrub. 

 Canada to Virginia. Height 3 ft. to 20 ft. Introduced in 1736. Flowers 

 small, pale yellowish green ; June. Capsules orange ; ripe in September. 

 Seed reddish brown, coated with a bright orange aril, changing at last to 



''^''''^*- . . ^.^\ .M 



The stems are woody and flexible, and twist 



themselves round trees and shrubs, or round each 

 other, to the height of 12 or 15 feet, or upwards, 

 girding trees so closely as, in a few years, to de- 

 stroy them ; whence the French and German names, 

 which signify " tree strangler." The leaves are about 

 3 in. long, and nearly 2 in. broad, serrated, of a lively 

 green above, but paler on the under side. The plant 

 prefers a strong loamy soil, rather moi.st than dry; and 

 is readily propagated by seeds, layers, or cuttings. 211. tfewstms s^ndens.' 



Other Species of Celastrus. C. bidldtus, described from a figure of Plukenet, 

 is, according to Torrey and Gray, a doubtful plant. C. nepalensis and C. ^yra- 

 canthijolius are in Messrs. Loddiges's collection, but rather tender. 



Genus III. 





NEMOPA'NTHES Rafin. The Nkmopanthes, Lm. Syst. Polygamia 



Dioecia. 



Identification. Rafin. Journ. Phys., 1819, p. 96. ; Dec. Prod., 2. p. 17. ; Don's Mill., 2. p. 13. 



Synonymc. llicioldes Dum. Cours. 1. vol. 4. p. 27. 



Derivation. From nemos, a grove, and ant/ios, a flower ; it being generally found in groves. 



Gen. Char. Calyx small, scarcely conspicuous. Petals 5, distinct, oblong, 

 linear, deciduous. Stamens 3, alternating with the petals. Ovary hemi- 

 spherical, covered with clammy juice. S'/'y/e wanting. Stigmas 3 4, ses- 

 sile , m the male flowers hardly manifest. Berry globose, 3 i-celled. 

 {Dons ALU.) 



Leaves simple, alternate, ovate, exstipulate, deciduous ; quite entire. One 

 hardy species. 



