EbenacecB Diospyros. 289 



about 150 species, chiefly tropical, a few occurring ID China 

 and Japan and North America, and one in Europe. 



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1. DIOSPtBOS. 



This genus is by far the most numerous in species of any in 

 the family. Ebony and several other valuable and handsome 

 woods are furnished by this genus, and several species produce 

 edible fruit. The name is from Af6s, Jove's, and irvpos^ grain 

 or food, literally heavenly food. 



1. D. Virginiana. Persimmon. A small tree with some- 

 what coriaceous persistent leaves and small greenish yellow 

 dioecious flowers succeeded by yellow edible roundish fruits 

 about 1 inch in diameter. This is somewhat tender, but on 

 well-drained soils it will withstand our winters, though it 

 rarely ripens its fruit with us. There is a specimen about 

 30 feet high in the arboretum at Kew. North America. 



D. Lotus is the only European species. It has oblong 

 acuminate leaves reddish beneath and purplish flowers. 



D. Kald) the Date Plum, is a Japanese species which pro- 

 duces a bright red edible fruit as large as a small apple. 



ORDER LXVI. JASMINES. 



Evergreen or deciduous shrubs often of trailing habit. 

 Leaves opposite or rarely alternate, trifoliolate, pinnate or re- 

 duced to a single leaflet articulated with the petiole. Flowers 

 often highly odoriferous, yellow or white. Calyx inferior, 5- 

 to 8-lobed ; lobes twisted or valvate in aestivation. Stamens 

 2, inserted upon and included within the tube of the corolla. 

 Fruit a bilobate 2-celled berry or capsule ; cells 1- or few- 

 seeded. There are about 6 genera and 100 species, widely 

 dispersed throughout the world except North America, but 

 especially abundant in Asia. 



1. JASMINUM. 



This is the only genus of the order coming within our 

 province. It is characterised by having a succulent fruit. 

 The species occur in Europe, Asia, Africa, South America, and 

 Australia ; and the name is an altered form of an Arabic word 

 signifying fragrant. 



1. J. officinale. Common White Jessamine. This beautiful 



