CL. v.] ](). viiU'iiNUM oruLrs. 363 



Gueldrc, Pain Idanc, Pomme de nicgc. — Ital. Sainhiuo 

 oquatico, Magg'w.-~F,ng[. Common Gucklcr-Ilosr, Walcr- 

 Eldcr. — Swed. Olvon, Hals-hdr. 



This is a shrub, which grows from the size of a nuiii in 

 height to twice that size : its stems, which are al)()iit the 

 thickness of an arm, having a grey, rifted, hut, in t)thcr re- 

 spects, smooth bark, and white spongy pilli. Tlie branches 

 stand opposite to one another. The sulcated smooth leaf- 

 stalks, an inch in lengtli, are also placed opposite to one ano- 

 ther, and have from four to six kidney-shaped knobs. At 

 the base of each leaf-stalk there are two deciduous pointed sti- 

 puhe. The leaves are about four inches long and broad, ha- 

 ving three short lobes, somewhat round at the base, cunei- 

 form, with sharply dentated margins, smooth, and having 

 deep nerves and veins on the upper surface, and slightly fin-- 

 nished with hairs on the under surface. The flowers grow 

 on a stalked false umbel, at the top of the branch. 



The calyx is very small, and has i\\Q teeth. The corolhe 

 are not uniform. At the circumference of the flowers we ob- 

 serve large, white, wheel-shaped, five-lobed coroljfe, without 

 ovaria, commonly without anthers, although sometimes these 

 last parts are seen. The central flowers are yellowish, and 

 also divided into five parts. Five filaments, longer than tlie 

 corolla, are united with its base, and carry yellow anthers, 

 consisting of two parts. The germen stands below the calyx, 

 and is surmounted by three reddish stigmata. Its up|)er- 

 most part is also the nectarium. It passes into a red, edible, 

 one-seeded berry. The embryon stands in a small hole of 

 the albuminous matter, with the radicle tiu'ned upwards. 



In the wild state, the marginal flowers alone are unlruit- 

 ful, because the sexual parts are abortive, (181.) and the co- 

 rolla is uniblded instead of them. Luxuriant growth in gar- 

 dens makes the abortion general, all the flowers become un- 

 fruitful, and the false umbel is contracted into a ball. 



