Trees of New York State 305 



RHAMNACEAE 



Rhamnus cathartica L. 



Common Buckthorn, Waythorn, Plumberry 



Habit — A large shrub or small tree occasionally becoming 30 feet in height 

 mth a stout trunk 6-12 inches in diameter. Bole short, dividing 2-5 feet 

 above the ground into a number of stout, ascending limbs which form an 

 oblong or globular, bushy crown. 



Leaves — Chiefly subopposite, more rarely alternate, tufted, broadly ovate 

 or oval, 1^/^-3 inches long, abruptly acute or obtuse at the apex, rounded 

 or obtuse at the base, finely crenate-serrate, at maturity dark dull green 

 and glabrous above, paler and glabrous or pubescent beneath, borne on 

 slender petioles %-l inch long. 



Flowers — Appearing in May and June after the leaves in 2-5-flo\vero(l. 

 axillary clusters, green, 4-merous, dioecious. Calyx-tube in staminate 

 flower cylindrical, in pistillate flower campanulate. Calyx-lobes triangu- 

 lar, acute, ascending or somewhat reflexed. Petals narrow, shorter than 

 the calyx-lobes, inserted with the stamens on the calyx-tube. Stamens 

 shorter than the calyx-lobes, A\'ith awl-shaped filaments and oblong 

 anthers. Pistil consisting of a globose, 4-celled ovary surmounted by 4 

 linear styles which are united below and bear terminal stigmas. 



Fruit — A subglobose, lustrous, black drupe, about % of an inch in diameter, 

 containing thin, acrid flesh and 3—4 bony nutlets. Xutlets strongly- sul- 

 cate on the outer face. 



Winter character — Twigs rather slender, pale reddish brown with a grayish 

 evanescent skin, at length brownish black. Shoots of two sorts, long 

 shoots and short, often spinulose, dwarf shoots which bear flowers and 

 tufted foliage during the summer. Buds ovate, acute, appressed, brownish 

 black, about % of an inch long. Mature bark thin, veiy rough, nearly 

 black in color. 



Habitat — In waste places along fence rows and highways where it is ^^^dely 

 spread through the agency of birds. Thrives on a variety of upland sites. 



Range — Europe and western and northern Asia. Introduced into the country 

 as a hedge plant and now widely naturalized throughout the eastern 

 United States. Zones A, B, and C. 



Uses — Its economic status in this country rests on its use as a hedge plant 

 for which it is well adapted because of its compact head of many small, 

 spiny branches, and the ease of propagation. The bark yields a cathartic 

 and a yellow dye. The close-grained wood is sometimes used for turnery 

 nnd tool handles in the Old World. 



