16 RHAMNACE^E. Rhamnus. 



46. Rhamnus Californica, Eschsch. 



California, west of the Sierra Nevadas, from the valley of the upper 

 Sacramento River southward to Santa Barbara and Fort Tejon. 



A small tree, rarely 7 to 9 metres in height, with a trunk 0.30 to 0.37 

 metre in diameter, or commonly a shrub, along the sea-coast and at high 

 elevations, often prostrate; common and reaching its greatest development 

 in the valleys of the Santa Cruz Mountains. A low shrubby form, densely 

 white-tomentose, especially on the under side of the leaves, of southern 

 California, Arizona, and New Mexico, is var. tomentclla, Brewer & Watson. 



Wood light, soft, rather coarse-grained, checking in drying ; layers of 

 annual growth marked by many rows of open ducts ; medullary rays 

 narrow, obscure ; color brown or light yellow, the sap-wood lighter. 



47. Rhamnus Purshiana, DC. 

 Bearberry. Bear-wood. Sliittim-wood. 



Puget Sound, east along the mountain ranges of northern Washington 

 to the Bitter Root Mountains, Idaho, aud the shores of Flathead Lake, 

 Montana ; southward through western Washington, Oregon, and northern 

 California, west of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. 



A small tree, often 12 metres in height, with a trunk 0.30 to 0.45 

 metre in diameter ; depressions and on the sides and bottoms of canons 

 in the coniferous forests ; reaching its greatest development along the 

 western slope of the Coast Range of southern Oregon. 



Wood light, very hard, not strong, close-grained, compact, satiny ; 

 medullary rays numerous, thin ; color light brown tinged with yellow, 

 the sap-wood somewhat lighter. 



The bark, like that of other species of the genus, possesses powerful 

 cathartic properties, and, under the name of Cascara sagrada, has been 

 introduced into commerce by herbalists in the form of fluid extracts and 

 tinctures. 



48. Ceanothus thyrsiflorus, Eschsch. 

 Blue Myrtle. 



California, — Coast Ranges, from Mendocino County south to the 

 valley of the San Luis Rey River. 



A small tree, 8 to 10 metres in height, with a trunk 0.10 to 0.15 

 metre in diameter, or toward the southern limits reduced to a low .shrub; 

 common and reaching its greatest development in the Sequoia forests 

 near Santa Cruz Bay. 



Wood light, soft, close-grained, compact; medullary rays very obscure ; 

 color light brown, the sap-wood darker. 



The bark of the root may be expected to possess similar astringent 

 properties to that of the shrubby O. Americana, used with advantage in 

 cases of diarrhoea and dysentery, and as a domestic remedy in the treat- 

 ment of troubles of the throat. 



