Trees of New York State 385 



Leaves simple, alternate, entire, estipulate. Flowers small, chiefly dioecious 

 or polygamous, regular, axillary, solitary or cymose; calyx inferior, persistent, 

 3-7-lobed; corolla regular, deciduous, 3-7-lobed; stamens more numerous than 

 the lobes of the corolla and inserted on its tube, with short filaments and 

 introrse anthers; pistil consisting of a several-celled ovary surmounted by 

 2-8 styles and stigmas; o\iiles 2 in each cell. Frv>it a l-several-seeded berry 

 subtended by the accrescent caivx; seeds alljuminous. 



THE PERSIMMONS. Genus DIOSPYROS L. 

 Diospyros includes about one hundred and sixty species, widely 

 distributed throughout the tropics of the world but most abundant 

 in southern Asia. A few species extend into the temperate regions 

 of eastern Asia, eastern North America, and the Mediterranean 

 area. The ebony of commerce is produced by certain members of 

 this genus while others produce edible fruit. Diospyros is repre- 

 sented by two species in the United State-s, one of which, Diospyros 

 virgiriiana L., occurs in southern New York. 



Leaves alternate, simple, coriaceous, entire, estipulate. Flowers dioecious, 

 jiolygamous. or occasionally perfect, regular, from the axils of the leaves of 

 tlie year or of the previous year; staminate flowers smaller than the pistillate; 

 usually in short few-flowered cymes; pistillate flowers chiefly solitary; calyx 

 3-7-lobed, persistent and usually accrescent; corolla regular, 3-7-lobed, the 

 lobes convolute in the bud; stamens 2-3 times the number of corolla-lobes, 

 inserted at the base of the corolla in two rows and in pairs, A\ifch slender 

 filaments and oblong apiculate anthers, abortive in the pistillate flowers; 

 pistil consisting of an inferor 3-7-celled ovary surmounted by 3-7 spreading 

 styles, each bearing 2-lobed or parted stigmas at the apex. Fruit a globose, 

 oblong or conical 1-10-seeded berry, subtended at the base by the accrescent 

 persistent calyx ; seeds oblong, compressed, albuminous. 



OLIVE FAMILY. OLEACEAE 



Trees or shrubs with watery juice, scaly buds, opposite estipu- 

 late leaves, perfect, dioecious or polygamous flowers, and capsular, 

 baccate, drupaceous, or samaroid fruit. The family includes about 

 twenty genera and five hundred species, widely distributed in tem- 

 perate and tropical regions but chiefly in the northern hemisphere. 

 Five genera are indigenous to the United States, one of which has 

 arborescent representatives in New York State. 



Leaves opposite, simple or compound, estipulate. Flowers perfect, dioecious, 

 or polygamous, regular, paniculate, cymose, or fasciculate; calyx inferior, 

 2-4 lobed, or none ; corolla of 2-4 petals or none, stamens 2-4, ^'ith short 

 filaments and introi'se, often apiculate anthers; pistil consisting of a 2-celled 

 ovary surmounted by a single style and terminal stigma. Fruit a samara 

 or berrj- in the American species; seeds albuminous. 



13 



