90 SUMMER FLOWERS. 



Of these we find flowering during the early summer, a shrub 

 growing in hedges and thickets, known as the Spindle Tree,* 

 and belonging to the Celastraceous family. It is rather an in- 

 significant plant, except when in fruit, but the curious form 

 and bright colour of this fruit render it later in the sum- 

 mer a rather conspicuous object. It is a smooth shrub, of 

 about five feet high, with ovate-oblong or lanceolate pointed 

 deciduous leaves, and axillary cymes of small green flowers ; 

 these have a flat calyx of four or five short lobes, arid an equal 

 number of larger petals, an equal number also of stamens al- 

 ternating with the petals and united with them on a slightly 

 thickened disk which covers the base of the calyx. The ovary 

 is immersed in this disk with a short protruding style, and 

 becomes a four- angled (sometimes three- or five-angled) red 

 capsule, which opens, when ripe, at the angles, arid exposes the 

 seeds enveloped in a bright orange-coloured arillus the arillus 

 being a part of the fruit corresponding with what is known as 

 mace in the fruit of the nutmeg. 



Another unattractive Calyciflore blossoming early in the 

 summer is the Common Buckthorn, f found occasionally in 

 hedges and bushy places. This belongs to the Rhamnaceous 

 family, and is a shrub or small tree, with spreading branches, 

 which sometimes become spiny. It Las ovate toothed leaves 

 marked by a few prominent veins, mostly originating below 

 the middle. The flowers are small, green, staminate or pistil- 

 late, clustered in the axils of the leaves ; they have each four 

 or five small calyx-teeth, and within these as many still smaller 

 petals. The staminate flowers have an abortive ovary, broader 

 petals, and four or five stamens alternating with the calyx- 

 teeth, and inserted on a disk which lines the base of the calyx. 



* Euonymus europceus Plate 11 A. 

 f Ehamnus catharticusPl&te 11 B. 



