72 RHAMNACE^E. (BUCKTHORN FAMILY.) 



1. A. quinquefolia, Michx. (VIRGINIAN CREEPER.) Low grounds, 

 Florida and northward. June. Stem climbing by lateral tendrils. Leaflets 

 5, oblong-obovate, serrate above the middle, smooth. Berry small, dark-blue. 



ORDER 39. RHAMNACE-3E. (BUCKTHORN FAMILY.) 



Trees or shrubs, with simple mostly stipulate leaves, and small regular 

 perigynous greenish or whitish flowers. Sepals 4-5, united below, val- 

 vate in the bud. Petals alternate with the sepals, concave or hooded, 

 sometimes wanting. Stamens opposite the petals, and inserted with them 

 into the margin of a fleshy disk, which lines the base of the calyx. Ovary 

 1 - 4-celled, with a solitary erect anatropous ovule in each cell. Style 

 single. Fruit drupaceous. Embryo large, in the axis of scanty fleshy 

 albumen. Radicle inferior. 



Synopsis. 



* Drupe baccate, 1 - 2-celled. Ovary immersed in the disk. 



1. SCUTIA. Petals 5, or none. Drupe 1-celled. Calyx adnate to the base of the ovary. 



2. BERCHEMIA. Petals 5. Drupe 2-celled. Calyx free. 



* * Drupe baccate, separating into 2-4 nutlets. 



3. SAGERETIA. Leaves opposite. Nutlets 3. Flowers spiked. 



4. RHAMNUS. Leaves alternate. Seed furrowed on the back. Flowers clustered. 

 6. FRANGULA. Leaves alternate. Seed not furrowed. Flowers umbelled. 



* * * Drupe at length dry, separating into 3 nutlets. 



6. CEANOTHUS. Flowers coryinbed. Calyx white. Nutlets 2-valved. 



7. COLUBRINA. Flowers cymose. Calyx green. Nutlets opening at the inner angle. 



8. GOUANIA. Flowers spiked. Woody vines. 



SCUTIA, Commers. 



Calyx-tube hemispherical or pitcher-shaped, with 5 acute lobes. Petals 5, in- 

 serted into the margin of the disk, short-clawed, sometimes wanting. Ovary 

 adhering to the disk below, 2-3-celled, with a single erect ovule in each cell. 

 Style single, conical. Stigma 2-3-lobed. Fruit 1-celled, or separating into 

 2-3 one-seeded nutlets. Seeds without albumen. Radicle very short. Shrubs, 

 with alternate or opposite coriaceous entire 2-stipulate leaves, and small axillary 

 flowers in simple umbels. 



1 . S. ferrea, Brongn. Spineless ; mature leaves coriaceous, opposite or 

 alternate, elliptical or obovate, emarginate, obtuse at the base, short-petioled ; 

 stipules by pairs, ovate, minute ; flowers clustered, axillary, on short pedicels ; 

 calyx-tube 5-angled, the lobes ovate ; ovary immersed in the thick 5-lobed disk, 

 2-celled, with an ascending ovule in each cell ; style very short ; stigmas 2, thick, 

 erect; drupe 1-celled, 1 -seeded. (Rhamnus ferreus, Vahl. Zizyphus emargina- 

 tus, Swartz.) South Florida. Branches opposite, whitish. Leaves pale, 

 1' long. 



