310 SYSTEMATIC BOTANY 



The leaves are broadly elliptical or orbicular in 

 shape, and minutely serrate. 



Z. RUGOSA, Lamk., common in Mysore and on the 

 hills, has its flowers on spreading leafless branches, 

 and there are no petals. 



* RHAMNUS WIGHTII, W. and A., is common on the 

 higher hills, as also the very spiny * R. DAHURICUS, 

 Pall. (=R. VIRGATUS, Roxb.) 



CHARACTERS OF THE RHAMNE^E 



The RHAMNE^E are a family of trees and shrubs,, 

 found in all parts of the world. Many are armed 

 with stipular thorns, and some climb with the help of 

 these over other trees. The leaves are alternate, simple, 

 coriaceous, with small stipules that fall off early, or 

 with thorns. The flowers are small and greenish, in 

 cymose axillary bunches, with five small sepals, five 

 still smaller, concave petals, five stamens opposite to 

 the petals and often covered by them, and a generally 

 three-celled ovary more or less sunk in an intra- 

 staminal disc. The fruit is a free or half inferior 

 capsule or drupe, and the seeds have endosperm. 



The chief thing to notice about the family is that 

 the stamens are opposite to the petals, and that there 

 is a prominent glandular disc within them. 



SAPINDACE^: 



Examples : 



SCHLEICHERIA TRIJUGA, Willd., a tree grown often 

 on road-sides, and found wild in dry forests. 



Smallest branches green, angular. Leaves alternate,. 

 e,xstipulate, equally pinnate. Leaflets sessile, lowest 



