304 DESCRIPTIONS OF THE SHRUBS 



KEY TO THE SILVERY-SCALED SHRUBS — EL^ AG- 

 NUS, HIPPOPHOE, AND SHEPHERDIA 



* Leaves alternate, deciduous ; hardy ; flowering in the spring, April- 

 June. (A.) 

 A. Branchlets and under sides of the leaves silvery-white without 

 any brown or reddish scales ; shrubs or trees to 20 feet with 

 le'aves 2-3 inches long. (B.) 

 B. Leaves entire and not crisped at edges ; berries usually large, 

 oval, yellow coated with silvery scales, axillary, 1-3 in a clus- 

 ter. Often spiny (the most spiny form is Spiny Oleaster 

 (532), var. spin6sa) : Russian 'Olive,' Garden El^agnus 

 or Oleaster (530) (531) — Elaeagnus angustifolia. 



B. Leaves crisped at edges ; flowers and fruit crowded on short 

 side shoots ; berries nearly globular, silvery when young, pink 

 in summer when ripe (^ inch long). Small-leaved Ela:ag- 

 Nus (533) — Elseagnus parvif61ia. 



A. Branchlets with reddish or bro\\Tiish scales, sometimes with 

 some silvery scales ; leaves silvery below but frequently with 

 brownish scales. (C.) 



C. Fruit decidedly juicy, some shade of red or scarlet, edible. (D.) 

 D. Fruit nearly globular, short-stalked, erect, i inch long, ripe 



Sept. or Oct.; leaves crisped at edge and without brown 

 scales beneath. Shrub to 12 feet, often spiny. Japanese 

 Oleaster (534) — Elseagnus umbellata. 

 D. Finiit oval, erect or nodding, ripe July or Aug. on stems 

 about as long as the fruit, ^ inch; leaves with a few broMii 

 scales beneath, not crisped at edges. Spreading shrub to 

 8 feet. El.bagnus — Ela^agnus multifl5ra. 

 D. Fruit pendulous, oblong, | inch long on stems over an inch 

 long, ripe June or July. Shrub to feet. Japanese Goumi 

 (535) — Elaagnus 16ngipes. ' 

 C. Fruit rather dry, silvery white, oval, ^-^ inch long on short 

 steins, ripe July, Aug. Erect spineless shrub to 12 feet; leaves 

 silvery on both sides and with brownish scales beneath. 

 El.icagnus or Silverrerry — Eheagnus arg^ntea. 

 C. Fruit somewhat poisonous, though eaten by birds, bright orange, 

 globular (\ inch), in clusters, found in abundance but only on 

 a portion of the plants as the flowers are dioecious ; leaves very 

 slender, grayish green above and silvery below. Br.^nches end- 

 ing in sharp spines. Sea Buckthorn (530) — Hippophae 

 rhamnoides. 



