OLEACEJZ. 257 



Order L. OLEACE^E (Olive Family). 



Trees, or shrubs. Leaves opposite, simple, or pinnate. Flow- 

 ers perfect, or polygamous. Sepals united at base, persistent, 

 sometimes none. Petals 4, united below, sometimes distinct, valv- 

 ate in prefloration, sometimes none. Stamens 2. Anthers 2- 

 celled. Ovary free, 2-celled. Ovules pendulous. Style i. Stig- 

 ma i, or bifid. Fruit drupaceous, baccate, or a samara, usually 

 i -celled, i-2-seeded, by abortion. 



f Fruit a pod Syringa. 



(Flowers perfect 4 Fruit a berry Ligustrum. 

 [ Fruit a drupe Chionanthus. 

 Flowers imperfect Fraxinus. 



I. Syringa. Calyx small, with 4 erect lobes. Corolla salver-form ; 

 tube much longer than the calyx-limb, 4-cleft, with obtuse, spreading 

 segments. Stamens short, included in the tube. Capsule 2-celled, 

 2-valved. Shrubs. 



1. S. VULGARIS (Lilac). Leaves cordate, entire, smooth, green on both 

 sides ; flowers light purple, large, fragrant, in dense thyrses ; corolla-limb 

 somewhat concave. Universally cultivated, 5-8 feet high. April-May. 



2. S. PERSICA (Persian Lilac). Leaves smooth, lanceolate or pinnatifid, 

 green on both sides ; limb of the corolla flat. A smaller and more delicate 

 shrub than the last, frequent in cultivation, 3-6 feet high. April-May. 



2. Ligustrum. Calyx tubular, short, deciduous ; with 4, minute 

 teeth. Corolla funnel-form, 4-lobed ; lobes spreading, obtuse. Sta- 

 mens inserted on the corolla-tube. Stigma 2-cleft. Berry 2-celled, 

 2-4-seeded. 



L. VULGARE (Prim). Shrubby ; leaves oblong-lanceolate, varying to 

 obovate, acute, or obtuse, entire, smooth, dark green, on short petioles ; 

 flowers small, white, in dense panicles ; anthers large, exserted ; berries 

 black, bitter. Used for hedges, 4-6 feet high. May- June. 



3. Chionanthus. Calyx small, persistent, 4-parted. Corolla in 4 

 long and linear divisions. Stamens very short, inserted at the base 

 of the corolla. Style very short. Drupe fleshy, i-celled, i-seeded. 

 Trees. 



C. VIRGINICA (Fringe-tree]. Leaves oval-oblong, smooth or somewhat 

 downy, petiolate, entire ; flowers snow-white, on long pedicels, in racemes, 

 forming drooping panicles ; calyx smooth ; segments of the corolla linear ; 

 drupes purple, covered with a bloom. May-June. 



4. Fraxinus. Flowers polygamous or dioecious, often perfect. 

 Staminate flowers calyx small, 4-cleft, or wanting; stamens usually 2. 



