64 



N. Ord. RHAMNACE.E. Lindl, Veg. Kingd., p. 581 ; Le Maout and 



Dec., p. 346 ; Bail!., Hist. PI., vi. 

 Tribe Rhamnete. 



Genus Rhamnus,* Linn, (in part). B. & H., Gen., i, p. 377 ; 

 Bail!., 1. c., p. 51. Species about 60, generally distributed ; 

 rare in the tropics. 



64. Rhamnus catharticus, Linn., Sp. PI. ed. I, P . 193 (1753). 



Buckthorn. 



8yn. Cervispina cathartica, Moench. 



Figures. Woodv., t. 210 ; Steph. & Ch., 1. 119 ; Hayne, v, t. 43 ; Nees, 

 t. 360 ; Berg & Sch., t. 16 f ; Syme, E. B., ii, t. 318. 



Description. A dense, spreading, much-branched bush or small 

 tree, not reaching more than about 12 feet high, the smaller 

 branches often ending in a sharp spine ; bark rather smooth, dark 

 grey. Leaves variously arranged : fasciculate on the short twigs 

 of the previous year, alternate or sub-opposite on the young green 

 shoots of the current year ; dingy-green, smooth, petioles about 

 half as long as the blade ; stipules small, linear, deciduous ; blade 

 1 1| inches long, broadly oval, rounded or slightly attenuated at 

 the apex, finely serrulate; veins very prominent beneath, the 

 lateral ones few, arched in a direction parallel with the margin. 

 Flowers dioecious, very small, yellowish-green, stalked, in small 

 sessile umbels or solitary from the axils of the fascicles of leaves 

 on the previous year's twigs. Male flowers : calyx-tube campanu- 

 late ; limb in 4 ovate-lanceolate segments ; petals 4, linear- 

 spathulate, much smaller than the calyx-segments with which they 

 alternate; stamens 4, immediately opposite the petals, and with 

 them inserted on the upper margin of the calyx-tube (disk) ; pistil 

 quite rudimentary. Female flowers : calyx as in the male, but tube 

 wider to accommodate the ovary ; petals much smaller than in the 

 male, and stamens rudimentary ; ovary superior, enclosed in the 



* 'Pa'fjivoQ, the classical name, originally applied to the spiny Paliurus. 



