412 THE PLUMBAGO FAMILY. 



Corolla: salver-shaped, with five distinct spatulate petals. Stamens : ^v^^ in- 

 serted on the base of the petals. Leaves: mostly from the base; obovate, or 

 oblanceolate; obtuse and tapering at the base into a long margined petiole ; 

 entire. 



This pretty little plant which is presented as a representative of the plum- 

 bago family grows in salt marshes along the coast. There many of them 

 grouped together throw out often through their dainty, tiny corollas a good 

 stretch of misty colouring. These in drying still retain their lavender tint. 

 With everlastings and the bitter-sweet's fruit, they are gathered by country 

 people to decorate the home during the winter. Such bouquets also are 

 said to be of value to keep away moths, while the plant's roots are scraped 

 to apply to canker-sores. 



THE SAPODILLA FAfllLY. 



Sapotdccc^. 



WOOLLY BUCKTHORN. {Plate CXXXV.) 

 BiDnelia lanuginosa. 



FAMILY COLOUR ODOUR RANGE TIME OF BLOOM 



Sapodilla. White. Scentless. Florida to Texas June, July. 



and Illinois. 



Flowers: small; regular, growing on pubescent pedicels in sessile, axillary clus- 

 ters. Calyx: tomentose, persistent, five-parted. Corolla: five-cleft, and having 

 appendages between the lobes. Fertile stamens: five, alternating with as many, 

 petal-like and sterile ones. Berries: ovoid; small. Leaves: alternate in lateral 

 groups ; obovate, or obovate-oblong, rounded at the apex and tapering at the base 

 into short petioles ; entire ; thick ; bright green and smooth alDove, and covered 

 densely underneath with a silky tomentum ; persistent. A shrub or small tree 

 about sixty feet high with smooth greyish or brown branches, usually showing 

 spines. 



In bloom, the woolly buckthorn is a rather unusual-looking individual 

 with symmetrical and abundant foliage which then is as vividly green and 

 brilliant above as that of the southern magnolia. It also is softly downy 

 underneath. As the leaves are persistent over the winter, we later notice 

 among them a few that have been eaten by insects until only the fine mesh- 

 work of the veins and veinlets remains. So far from repulsing us, however, 

 these grim skeletons show clearly, as in all similar cases, the intricate and 

 beautiful frame-work of the leaves. 



B. lyciotdes, southern buckthorn, also an attractive tree or small shrub, 

 bears minute, greenish flowers growing in axillary clusters on rather long 



