THE BUCKTHORN FAMILY. RHAMNACE^E 



THIS is a large family comprising many shrubs and vines 

 and a, few rather small trees. Many of its members are orna- 

 mental and others yield valuable drugs, but they produce no 

 timber. 



Shrubs or trees of this family are most easily recognized by 

 their alternate simple leaves which are very prominently and 

 characteristically veined, their bitter astringent bark and 

 small, regular, sometimes imperfect flowers followed by dry 

 drupelike fruit. 



I. THE BUCKTHORNS 

 Genus Rhamnus 



The buckthorns are the type plants of the family. They are 

 almost all shrubs but a few are small trees. They have simple 

 alternate leaves and small greenish flowers 

 clustered in the axils. A peculiarity of 

 the flower is that each petal is wrapped 

 about a stamen. The bark is bitter, and 

 some species furnish ex.tracts of medicinal 

 value.- 



i. BUCKTHORN. Rhamnus Purshiana. 

 DC Candolle. 



This is very often a shrub but at times 

 grows to a small tree. It has thin, brown, 

 scaly bark and reddish-brown branches. 

 When young the twigs are green and 

 covered with fine hairs. The leaves are oblong, often blunt- 

 pointed and finely toothed. They are dark green above, usu- 



201 



FIG. 53. Buckthorn. 



