BUCKTHORN FAMILY. Rhamnacese, 



BUCKTHORN FAMILY. Rhamnacece. 



Shrubs or small trees, often thorny, with simple, mostly 

 alternate leaves, and small regular, perfect or polyga- 

 mous flowers. There are 4-5 petals to the rather incon- 

 spicuous flowers, or, in some cases, none at all. The 

 fruit a berry, or a capsule. Visited by bees and flies. 



A shrub commonh^ cultivated for hedares 

 Common . „ '' , . , 



Buckthorn ^^ ^^^ twigs are often armed with formida- 

 Rhamnus ble thorns. A native of Europe and Asia, 



cathartica and an escape from cultivation in this coun- 



Ma'*!funr^^" try, particularly in New England and New 

 York. The smooth deep green leaves are 

 ovate and finely toothed ; they grow alternately. The 

 flow^ers are clustered at the angles of the leaves, and are 

 an inconspicuous white-green : they are staminate and 

 pistillate on different plants, and scarcely measure a tenth 

 of an inch across. The flower is succeeded by a black 

 berry the juice of which is powerfully medicinal. 6-16 

 feet high. In dry soil along roadsides and near dwell- 

 ings, froni Me., west to N. Y. 



A native species with thornless branches, 

 alnifolia leaves Similar to those of the foreign spe- 



cies, and greenish flowers without petals, 

 staminate and pistillate on different plants. There are 

 five stamens and calyx lobes. In swamps, from Me. to 

 N. J., Pa., Neb., and in Cal. 



A shrubby species with a coarse, woody 

 ^ brown-green or bronzy stem, and dull green 



Ceanothiis ovate-pointed leaves, sharply but finely 



Americanus toothed, very fine-hairy, and conspicu- 

 Cream white ously three-ribbed ; the stems short, and 

 ay- u y ruddy. The tiny cream white flowers are 



set in small blunt cone-shaped clusters on long stems 

 from the leaf angles. There are five slender petals and as 

 many stamens. The rather pretty plumy flower-cluster 

 is lightly odorous. In Revolutionary times the American 

 soldiers brewed an indifferent-flavored tea from the dried 

 leaves. Stems 1-4 feet high ; root reddish. In drj^ open 

 woodlands, from Me., south, and w^est to Minn, and Mo 



258 



