158 coiiNACE^:. 



CORNACEiC. 



Character of the Order. — Slirul)H or trees, with opposite or r.iterimte, 

 Him])lo leaves. Cnlyx-tube iulliercnt to the ovury, its liinbl-tootlied. i'etals 

 4, vjilviite in the bud. Htiiineus 4, inserted witli tlie petals on the margin 

 of !in epigynoiLS disk. Style single ; ovary 1-celled, each cell with u sii.gle 

 sus])ended ovule. Fruit a 1- to 2-seedod drupe. 



A small order, represented in North America by three genera, n.'imely, 

 Coruus, Garryu, and Nyssa, the tirst-numed alone comprising medicinal 

 species. 



CORNUS.— CoKNKi-— DouwooD. 



Character of the Genus. — P.arts of the tlower as in the chai'acter of the 

 order. Fruit a small drupe, with a 2-ceUed, 2-seeded stone. Leaves op- 

 posite except in a single species. Flowers small, in open naked cymes, 

 or in close heads surroundtnl by a corolla-like involucre. 



CornilS florida Linne. — FUm-crui<j Dixju-ond. 



lh;'<cripli(>ii.—Y\i)\\i'Yv, small, greenish-yellow, in a close head or 

 cluster, which is surrounded by a showy 4-leaved involucre. Drupes 

 bright red. 



A tree, 10 to 30 feet high. Leaves opposite, ovate, pointed, acute at 

 the base. Leaves of the involucre 1 to 1,^ incli long, white or pinldsh, ob- 

 cordate, or with a callous notch at the apex. The iiowors appear in Miu^-- 

 and June, before the leaves are fully develoijed, and with their showy in- 

 voluci-es render the tree a very striking object. 



JfubUal. — Li woods and low grounds from Canada to Florida and west- 

 ward ; everywhere common. 



Cornus circinata ISViov.- - J^ound-lmvcd Dogirood. 



Detfcn) il ion. —YlowL'VH white, in open, s^jreading cymes, without an in- 

 volucre. Drupes light blue. 



A shrub, (J to 10 feet high. Leaves opposite, broadly oval or orbicular, 

 abruptly acuminate, 4 to o inches long, 2 to 5 inches bi'oad, tomentose 

 ben(vith. The c\ynies are rather small, but niuiicrous ; the flowers apjjear 

 in J I je, after the leaves are pi'c>tty wiill dcncloped. 



JIubitut. — Shady banks of streams from Canada to the mountains of 

 Virginia and westward. 



Cornus sericea JAum^.—Simmp Dogwood, Sdky Cornel 



Description. — Flowers white, in open, spreading rhymes, without an in- 

 volucre. Drupes light l^hie. 



A shrub, to 10 feet high, the bark greenish-2)urplo or brownish- 

 purphi. Leaves ovateor ellii)tical, cons])i(aiously pointed, the lower surface, 

 as well as the petioles and smaller branches, silky-i)ubescent. Cymes close ; 

 the flowers appear in May and June. 



