BLACK OR DARK PURPLE 205 



BUCKTHORN 



Rhamnus cathartica Buckthorn Family 



•Fruit. — The berrylike drupes grow in clusters. 

 They are globose, somewhat flattened, black, and 

 shining. The pulp and juice of the fruits are a 

 peculiar green. The three or four inclosed nut- 

 lets are grooved. The drupes are bitter and 

 nauseating. August. 



Leaves. — The leaves are broadly ovate with 

 prominent, sometimes hairy, veins, beneath. 

 They are finely toothed. 



Flowers. — The small greenish flowers are 

 dioecious. They appear a little later than the 

 leaves. May, June. 



This is a shrub or small tree ten or fifteen 

 feet high. The lower branches, while leafy, are 

 short and stiff and end in sharp points, really 

 serving the purposes of thorns. 



The berries were formerly used in medicines 

 as a purgative, but are so severe in their action 

 that their use in this direction is now confined 

 to veterinary practice. A green dye is yielded 

 by the ripe berries, a purple dye by the over-ripe 

 fruit, a yellow dye by the fresh bark, and a 

 brown one by the dried bark. 



