CLASS IV. ORDER I. 59 



64. CORNUS. 



^ Subgenus . Flowers umbelled, with a four leaved 



involucre. 



CoRNus Canadensis. L. Dwarf Cornel. 



Herbaceous ; upper leaves in whorls, slightly peti- 

 oled, veined. Willd. 



A handsome plant of half a foot in height. Root creeping, 

 stem simple, ascending, surmounted at top with a single whorl 

 of six oval leaves, two of which are lower and larger. The um- 

 bel of flowers is surrounded by a large white involucre of four 

 leaves, which at first sight is taken for the petals of a simple 

 flower. The berries or drupes are globular and red. Among the 

 fertile stems are found a multitude of barren ones, supporting 

 whorls of four leaves. — Woods, Brookline, Cambridge. — May, 

 June. — Perennial. 



CoRNus Florida. Dogwood tree. 



American Medical Botany, PI. xxviii. 



Arboreous, flowers in heads, surrounded by an in- 

 volucre of obovate leaves with recurved points. 



A conspicuous and very ornamental tree, covered early in 

 June with a profusion of large white flowers. It is below the 

 middle size, is of slow growth, and possesses a very compact wood, 

 covered with a rough broken bark. The branches are smooth, 

 covered with a reddish bark, marked with rings at the place of 

 the former leaves. The leaves, which are small at the flowering 

 time, are opposite, petioled, oval acute, entire, nearly smooth, 

 paler beneath, and marked as in others of the genus with strong 

 parallel veins. The flowers, which are very small, grow in 

 heads or sessile umbels, upon peduncles an inch or more in 

 length. At the base of each bunch is the large spreading involu- 

 cre, constituting the chief beauty of the tree when in flower. 

 This involucre is composed of four white, nerved, obovate leaves, 

 having their point turned abruptly down or up, so as to give 

 them an obcordate appearance. The point has frequently a red- 

 dish tinge. Calyx superior, somewhat bell shaped, ending in 

 four obtuse spreading teeth. Petals four, oblong, obtuse, reflex- 



