228 



CAPRIFOLIACEAE. 



[Vol. III. 



i. Sambucus Canadensis E. 

 American Elder. Sweet Elder. 



(Fig- 3432.) 

 SanibucHS Canadensis^. Sp. PI. 269. 1753. 

 A shrub, 4-io high, glabrous or very 

 nearly so throughout, the stems but lit- 

 tle woody, the younger ones with large 

 white pith. Leaflets 5-1 1, usually 7, 

 ovate or oval, acuminate or acute at the 

 apex, short-stalked, glabrous above, 

 sometimes slightly pubescent on the 

 veins beneath, 2 / s / long, sharply ser- 

 rate, sometimes stipellate; cymes con- 

 vex, broader than high ; flowers white, 

 about 1%" broad; drupe deep purple 

 or black, nearly 3" in diameter; nutlets 

 roughened. 



In moist soil, New Brunswick and Nova 

 Scotia to Florida, west to Manitoba, Kansas, 

 Texas and Arizona. Ascends to 4000 ft. in 

 North Carolina. Called also Elder-blow, 

 Elder-berry. The flowers and fruit have 

 strong medicinal properties. Leaves heavy- 

 scented when crushed, those of young 

 shoots often stipulate. June-July. 



2. Sambucus pubens Michx. 

 Red-berried Elder. (Fig. 3433.) 



Sambucus pubens Michx. Fl. Bor. Am. 1: 



i8r. 1803. 



A shrub, 2-i2 high, the twigs and 

 leaves commonly pubescent; stems 

 woody, the younger with reddish-brown 

 pith. Leaflets 5-7, ovate-lanceolate or 

 oval, acuminate at the apex, often narrow- 

 ed and usually inequilateral at the base, 

 2 / -5 / long, not stipellate, sharply serrate; 

 cymes thyrsoid, longer than broad; flow- 

 ers whitish, turning brown in drying; 

 drupe scarlet or red, 2 // -3 // in diameter; 

 nutlets very minutely roughened. 



In rocky places, New Brunswick to Brit- 

 ish Columbia, Georgia, Colorado and Cali- 

 fornia. Fruit rarely white. April-May. 

 Called also Mountain Elder. Ascends to 

 5000 ft. in Virginia. 



Sambucus pubens dissecta Britton, Mem. 

 Torr. Club, 5: 304. 1894. 



Leaflets laciniate. Lake Superior and 

 Pennsylvania. 



Sambucus nigra laciniata (Mill.) DC., a 

 cut-leaved variety of the related European 

 species, has been found at Cape May, N. J., 

 perhaps escaped from cultivation. 



2. VIBURNUM E. Sp. PI. 267. 1753. 

 Shrubs or trees, with entire dentate or lobed, sometimes stipulate leaves, and white or 

 rarely pink flowers in compound cymes, the outer flowers sometimes radiant and neutral. 

 Calyx-tube ovoid or turbinate, its limb short, 5-toothed. Corolla rotate or short-campanu- 

 late in our species, regular, 5-lobed. Stamens 5, inserted on the tube of the corolla; an- 

 thers oblong, exserted. Ovary 1-3-celled; style short, 3-lobed or 3-parted; ovules solitary in 

 each cavity, pendulous. Drupe ovoid or globose, sometimes flattened, i-seeded. Seed com- 

 pressed; endosperm fleshy; embryo minute. [The ancient Latin name.] 



About 100 species, of wide geographic distribution. Besides the following, about 5 others 

 occur in the southern and western parts of North America. 



X- Outer flowers of the cyme large, radiant; drupe red. 

 Leaves doubly serrate, pinnately veined. 1. V. alnifolium. 



Leaves 3-lobed, palmately veined. 2. V. Opulus. 



5fr & None of the flowers radiant; drupe blue or black (red in no. 3). 

 1. Leaves palmately veined, or 3-ribbed. 

 Cymes %'-i' broad, the rays short; drupe red. 3. V. pauciflorum. 



