30-4 



DESCRIPTIONS OF THE SHRUBS 



KEY TO THE SILVERY-SCALED SHRUBS EL.EA.G- 

 NUS, HIPPOPHOE, AND SHEPHERDIA 



* Leaves alternate, deciduous ; hardy ; flowering in the spring, April- 



June. (A.) 



A. Hranchlets and under sides of the leaves silvery-white without 

 any bro\vn or reddish scales; shrubs or trees to '20 feet with 

 leaves 2-3 inches long. (B.) 



B. Leaves entire and not crisped at edges; berries usually large, 

 oval, yellow coated with silvery scales, axillary, 1-3 in a clus- 

 ter. Often spiny (the most spiny form is SPINY OLEASTER 

 (532), var. spinosa) : RUSSIAN 'OLIVE,' GARDEN EL^EAGNUS 

 or OLEASTER (530) (531) Elaeagnus angustifolia. 



B. Leaves crisped at edges; flowers and fruit crowded on short 

 side shoots ; berries nearly globular, silvery when young, pink 

 in summer when ripe (i inch long). SMALL-LEAVEIJ ELJEAG- 

 N is (533) Eheagnus parvifolia. 



A. Branchlets with reddish or l.rownish scales, sometimes with 

 some silvery scales ; leaves silvery below but frequently with 

 1 inwnish scales. (C.) 



C. Fruit decidedly juicy, some shade of red or scarlet, edible. (D.) 

 D. Fruit nearly globular, short-stalked, erect, 1 inch long, ripe 



Sept. or Oct.; leaves crisped at edge and without brown 

 scales beneath. Shrub to 12 feet, often spiny. JAPANESE 

 OLEASTER (534) Elseagnus umbellata. ' 



D. Fruit oval, erect or nodding, ripe July or Aug. on stems 

 about as long as the fruit, | inch; leaves with a few brown 

 scales beneath, not crisped at edges. Spreading shrub to 

 8 feet. EL.EAGNUS Elseagnus multiflora. 



D. Fruit pendulous, oblong, f inch long on stems over an inch 

 long, ripe June or July. Shrub to 6 feet. JAPANESE GOUMI 

 (535) Elseagnus 16ngipes. 



C. Fruit rather dry, silvery white, oval, %-$ inch long on short 

 stems, ripe July, Aug. Erect spineless shrub to 12 feet; leaves 

 silvery on both sides and with brownish scales beneath. 

 EL/EACMS or SILVERBERRY -- Elseagnus arge'ntea. 

 C. Fruit somewhat poisonous, though eaten by birds, bright orange, 

 globular (\ inch), in clusters, found in abundance but' only on 

 a portion of the plants as the flowers are dioecious ; leaves very 

 slender, grayish -ITCH above and silvery below. Branches end- 

 nig in sharp spines. SEA BICKTHORN (530) Ilippophae 

 rhamnoides. 



