288 Styracacea Ha lesia. 



1. H. tetrdptera. Common Snowdrop Tree. This is the 

 species commonly cultivated. It is distinguished by its 4- 

 winged fruit, which is from 1 to 2 inches long. The flowers 

 somewhat resemble in size and outward appearance those of 

 the common Snowdrop. They are produced in April or May 

 before the leaves have attained their full development. This 

 and the other species are popularly known under the name 

 of Silver-bell trees. H. diptera., as the name indicates, has 

 usually a 2-winged fruit ; and H. parviflora is a species with 

 smaller flowers. 



Styrax officinalis, which furnishes the Storax of the shops, is a 

 native of Asia Minor and South of Europe, and is occasionally' 

 seen in English gardens, but being rather tender it is com- 

 paratively rare. It is a small deciduous shrub in this country, 

 with ovate leaves shaggy beneath, and racemes of white flowers 

 about an inch or a little more in diameter. The fruit is 

 spherical, usually 1 -celled by abortion, and enclosed within the 

 calyx-tube. There are besides the above three or four hardy 

 North American species very desirable on account of the pro- 

 fusion of their showy white flowers, but they are almost un- 

 known in this country. The foliage is more or less clothed 

 with a stellate or scurfy indumentum. 



The genus Symplocos comprises many species, chiefly from 

 the tropical and warmer parts of Asia and America. It is 

 characterised by having a 5-lobed calyx adhering to the base 

 of the ovary, 5 petals slightly combined at the base, and very 

 many stamens in several series. The flowers too are yellow, 

 and the pubescence not stellate. 8. Japonica is a Japanese 

 shrubby species of recent introduction ; and 8. tinctoria is a 

 very fragrant North American species known under the names 

 of Sweet-leaf and Horse-sugar, from the fondness evinced by 

 animals for browsing upon its sweet foliage. 



ORDER LXV. EBENACE^l. 



Hard-wooded trees or shrubs with simple alternate entire 

 exstipulate leaves and inconspicuous regular polygamous 

 axillary flowers. Calyx free, 4- to 6-lobed. Corolla 4- to 6- 

 lobed. Stamens 8 to 16. Fruit in the following genus a 

 large globular several-celled berry ; cells containing 1 large 

 flat shining albuminous seed. A small order comprising 



