154 THE BTTCKTHOBN FAMILY. 



The CeanotJiuses of our gardens belong to this family. The Grape Vine, 

 the Virginian creeper and other species of Vitis and Cistus have the same 

 relative position of the stamens and sepals ; but the stamens being more 

 decidedly hypogynous, and the habit different, they form the independent 

 Vine family. 



I. BUCKTHORN. EHAMNUS. 



Shrubs, vrith alternate undivided leaves, and small green flowers on short 

 pedicels, usually clustered in the axUs of the leaves. Calyx with 4 or 5 

 short, deciduous teeth or sepals. Petals none or veiy small. Stamens 4 or 

 5, alternating with the teeth of the calyx and opposite the petals, inserted on 

 a disk which lines the base of the calyx. Ovary fi-ee, 3- or 4-celled, with one 

 erect ovule in each cell. Style very short. Fruit a small beiTy (or drupe) 

 enclosing 3 or 4 small one-seeded nuts. Embryo in a fleshy albumen. 



A considerable genus widely spread over the northern hemisphere, both 

 in the new and the old world, penetrating into the tropics, with a few south- 

 em species. 



Leaves minutely toothed. Branches often thorny. Flowers dicecious ; 



stamens 4 1. Common B. 



Leaves entire. No thorns. Flowers hermaphrodite; stamens 5 . . . 2. Alder B. 



The evergreen Alaternus of our shrubberies, is a species of BucJcthorn 

 {R. A laternus) from southern Europe. 



1. Common Buckthorn. Xlhamnus catharticus, Linn. 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 1629.) 



A glabrous shrub with spreading branches, the smaller ones often ending 

 in a stout thorn. Leaves stalked, ovate, acuminate or pointed, rarely obtuse, 

 \h to 2 inches long, bordered by vei-y small regular teeth, marked with a 

 few prominent veins, obliquely diverging from the midrib, and mostly pro- 

 ceeding from below the middle. Flowers dioecious, very small, usually 

 thickly clustered in the axUs of the leaves. Petals 4, very narrow, and not 

 longer than the teeth of the calyx. Fruit black, about the size of a pea. 



In hedges and bushy places, extending over Europe, Russian Asia, and 

 northern America, but not an Arctic species. Not abundant in England 

 or L-eland, and very rare in Scotland. Fl. spring or early summer. 



2. Alder Buckthorn. Rhanxuus Fran§^ula, Linn. 



(Eng. Bot. t. 250, not good.) 



A more erect shrub than the common JR., not thorny, the leaves broader 

 and more obtuse, entire or slightly sinuate, having soinetimes a minute 

 down on the under side, and the lateral veins more numerous, diverging 

 equally from the midrib almost the whole of its length. Flowers 2 or 3 

 together in each axil, all hermaphi-odite ; the minute petals, the teeth of the 

 calyx, and the stamens, in fives. Fruit dark purple, the size of a pea. 



In hedges and bushy places, throughout Etu-ope and Russian Asia, except 

 the extreme north. In Britain rather more frequent than the common S., 

 but still rare in Scotland. Fl. spring or early st»nmer. 



The Sumachs of our shrubberies (species of Rhus) belong to the large 

 family of TerebinthacecB, widely spread over the temperate and hotter 

 regions of the globe, but unrepresented in Britain. They are usually shrubs 



