110 CELASTRACE^E. (STAFF-TREE FAMILY.) 



1. CELASTRUS, L. STAFF-TREE. SHRUBBY BITTER-SWEET. 



Flowers polygamo-dioecious. Petals (crenulate) and stamens 5, inserted on 

 the margin of a cup-shaped disk which lines the base of the calyx. Pod glo- 

 bose (orange-color and berry-like), 3-celled, 3-valved, loculicidal. Seeds 1 or 2 

 in each cell, erect, enclosed in a pulpy scarlet aril. Leaves alternate. Flowers 

 small, greenish, in raceme-like clusters terminating the branches. (An ancient 

 Greek name for some evergreen, which our plant is not.) 



1. C. scandens, L. (WAX-WORK. CLIMBING BITTER-SWEET.) Twin- 

 ing shrub ; leaves ovate-oblong, finely serrate, pointed. Along streams and 

 thickets. June. The opening orange-colored pods, displaying the scarlet 

 covering of the seeds, are very ornamental in autumn. 



2. EUONYMUS, Tourn. SPINDLE-TREE. 



Flowers perfect. Sepals 4 or 5, united at the base, forming a short and flat 

 calyx. Petals 4-5, rounded, spreading. Stamens very short, inserted on the 

 edge or face of a broad and flat 4 - 5-angled disk, which coheres with the calyx 

 and is stretched over the ovary, adhering to it more or less. Style short 

 or none. Pod 3 - 5-lo bed, 3 - 5-valved, loculicidal. Seeds 1-4 in each cell, 

 enclosed in a red aril. Shrubs, with 4-sided branchlets, opposite serrate 

 leaves, and loose cymes of small flowers on axillary peduncles. (Derivation 

 from el, good, and wopa, name, because it has the bad reputation of poisoning 

 cattle. Tourn.) 



1. E. atropurpiireus, Jacq. (BURNING-BUSH. WAAHOO.) Shrub 

 tall (6-14 high) and upright; leaves petioled, oval-oblong, pointed; parts of 

 the (dark-purple) flower commonly in fours ; pods smooth, deeply lobed. N. Y 

 to Wise., Neb., and southward ; also cultivated. June. Ornamental in autumn, 

 by its copious crimson fruit, drooping on long peduncles. 



2. E. Americanus, L. (STRAWBERRY BUSH.) Shrub low, upright or 

 straggling (2-5 high); leaves almost sessile, thickish, bright green, varying 

 from ovate to oblong-lanceolate, acute or pointed ; parts of the greenish-purple 

 flowers mostly in fives ; pods rough-warty, depressed, crimson when ripe ; the 

 aril and dissepiments scarlet. Wooded river-banks, N. Y. to 111., and south- 

 ward. June. 



Var. obovatUS, Torr. & Gray. Trailing, with rooting branches ; flower- 

 ing stems 1-2 high; leaves thin and dull, obovate or oblong. Low or wet 

 places ; the commoner form. 



3. PACHYSTIMA, Raf. 



Flowers perfect. Sepals and petals 4. Stamens 4, on the edge of the broad 

 disk lining the calyx-tube. Ovary free ; style very short. Pod small, oblong, 

 2-celled, loculicidally 2-valved. Seeds 1 or 2, enclosed in a white membrana- 

 ceous many-cleft aril. Low evergreen shrubs, with smooth serrulate coria- 

 ceous opposite leaves and very small green flowers solitary or fascicled in die 

 axils. (Derivation obscure.) 



1. P. Canbyi, Gray. Leaves linear to linear-oblong or oblong-obovate, 

 obtuse, 3" -I' long; pedicels very slender, often solitary, shorter than the 

 leaves ; fruit 2" long. Mountains of S. W. Va. 



