EL2EAGNACEJE. 



483 



nous pericarp, surmounted by the remains of the style. It contains 

 a single seed, within whose very thin coats lies a large fleshy embryo, 

 almost or wholly exalbuminous, with its radicle inferior. 



The genus Elaagnus consists of trees or shrubs from Central Asia, 

 the Soutli of Europe, and North America. All their organs are 

 covered with peltate hairs, scurfy or stellate. Their leaves are alter- 

 nate exstipulate simple entire. Their flowers are axillary, solitary 

 paired or grouped in little 3-flowered cymes or short leafy racemes. 

 Some twenty species are admitted. 1 



The genera Shepherdia 2 and Hippophae (Fr. f Jrgoussier) complete this 

 series. The former (figs. 285-288), has dioecious flowers (figs. 287, 



Shepherdia canadensis. 



mtM) 



Fig. 285. 

 Male flower (±). 



Fig. 286. 



Longitudinal section 

 of male flower. 



Fig. 287. 

 Female flower (f). 



Fig. 288. 



Longitudinal section 

 of female flower. 



288), with a receptacular sac similar to that of Elceagnus, a four-leaved 

 perianth, and eight glands superposed in pairs to the sepals and 

 inserted in the throat. The gynaBceum occupies the bottom of the 

 flower ; here too it becomes an achene around which the receptacle 

 forms a drupaceous indusium. The male flowers (figs. 285, 28G), 

 have a much shallower cupuliform receptacle. On its edges are in- 

 serted eight free stamens, four superposed to the sepals, and four 

 alternate with them. Each has an introrse anther and a slender 

 filament inserted outside the circle of eight glands, which are as in 

 the female flower superposed to the calyx-lobes. Only two species 

 of Shepherdia? are known, shrubs from North America with opposite 



1 L., Spec, ed. 2, 176. — Thttnb., Fl. Jap., 

 66, t. 14.— Pursh, Fl. N. Amer., i. 114.— A. 

 Rich., Mon., 383, 404, t. 24. — Bieb., Fl. Taw.- 

 Cauc, ii. 112.— Sibth., Fl. Grac t. 152.— 

 Roxb., Fl. Ind., i. 460.— Bl., Bijdr., 638.— 

 Blanc, Fl. d. Filipp., 74. — Reichb., Icon., 

 t. 549.— Royle, III. Eimal. 323, t. 61.— 

 Wall., Cat., n. 4031. — Champ., in Hook. 

 Joiirn. (1853), 196.— Benth., loe. cit. — GEEN. 

 & Godr.., Fl. de Fr., iii. 69. 



2 Nutt., Gen. of N. Amer. PL, ii. (1818), 

 210.— A. Rich., Mon., 389, 401, 402, t. 24, 

 fig. 3. — Spacu, Suit, a Bnffon, x. 157. — Endl., 

 Gen., n. 2113.— Meissn., Prodr., 607. 



3 L., Spec, ed. 2, 1453 (Sippophae). — 

 Pr/RSH, Fl. N. Amer., i. 115 (Hippophae). — 

 Michx., Fl. Bor.-Amer., ii. 227 (J2 e). — 

 Hook., Fl. Bor.-Amer., ii. 13S, t. 178. — Loud., 

 Fncycl. of Trees, 700, icon. 



i i 2 



