NYSSACEAE 111 



ATJCUBA. 



Evergreen shrubs with moderate twigs; alternate moder- 

 ate glossy leaves; small dioecious 4-merous polypetalous pani- 

 cled flowers; and typically red 1-seeded drupes. 



1. Not variegated. A. japonica. 

 Yellow-margined. A. japonica limbata. 

 Yellow-mottled. 2. 



2. Mottling rather uniform and fine. A. japonica variegata. 

 Central yellow spot large. 3. 



3. Without smaller spots. A. japonica bicolor. 

 With scattered smaller spots. A. -japonica latimaculata. 



Family NYSSACEAE. Tupelo Family. 



A very small family yielding the important tupelo-gum or 

 black-gum lumber; the following one of the best of autumn 

 coloring trees. 



NYSSA. Tupelo. 



Deciduous moderate-sized trees with pale close wood with 

 minute diffused ducts and very close fine medullary rays; 

 moderately slender or rather stout terete twigs; rounded con- 

 tinuous pith with firmer diaphragms; alternate somewhat rais- 

 ed broadly crescent-shaped leaf-scars with 3 bundle-traces; no 

 stipule-scars; rounded or ovoid sometimes superposed buds 

 with several exposed scales; moderately large petioled leaves; 

 sometimes imperfect small polypetalous or apetalous flowers 

 axillary or in stalked head-like clusters; and rather small 

 sometimes very acid blue or black inferior drupes. 

 Leaves glossy, entire, ( Pepper idge). N. sylvatica. 



Family ARALIACEAE. Aralia Family. 



A rather small family of little use except for plantations. 

 The ivy is traditionally the best climbing plant where it can 

 endure the climate. 



