CORNUS CANADENSIS-PIGEON BERRY 



CLASS, TETRANDRIA ; ORDER, MONOGYNIA. 

 NATURAL ORDEK, CORNACEjE. 



GEN. CHAR Calyx four toothed. Drupe with a two celled nut. 

 Some species have a four leaved involucrum. SPEC. CHAR. Her- 

 baceous. Leaves at the top whorled, veiny. Involucres ovate, acu- 

 minate. Fruit globose. 



The natural order, to which this belongs, is exceedingly well 

 marked and peculiar. It is composed mostly of trees or shrubs with 

 the leaves almost always opposite, without any appendages at their 

 base. The flowers are umbrella like in their aspect, but much 

 subdivided and irregular; having their cup attached to the outer 

 covering of the germ ; the very small limb four toothed. The stam- 

 ens which are four, alternate with the petals : the stlyes being united 

 in one. It is now becoming generally known that the trees which 

 yield the Peruvian bark are becoming more and more scarce, so that 

 we may reasonably anticipate before many years, an entire failure 

 in its supply. The interests of both Medicine and Commerce were 

 loo deeply involved to delay diligent search being made for a substi- 

 tute, which this order many suppose will provide. They are all 

 remarkable for their bitter and astringent bark, from which Cornine, 

 a principle analagous to Quinine is obtained. 



The genus takes its name from Cornu, a horn, because the wood 

 is hard and durable like that substance ; applied to the species before 



