336 THE WAYFARING TREE. 



when mature measure some three inches in Ien;'"tn. Thev he liori- 

 zontallv, and are clearlv marked hv the indentations of tlie main rib, 

 and ot the Forked secondary ribs, between wliich the leal-blade is 

 evenly puckered. Tlie ribs greater and less project considerably on 

 the under side of the leaf. In summer the foliage looks dusty, dull 

 in colour, and coarse, and feels rough to the tor.ch, but ar.tumn 

 brings to it gorgeous tints of crimson and red. 



THE FLOWER. 



PLov«,6* -seaav 



When the leaves are well out the flower makes a brave show. The 

 (lower cymes are in the shape of a horizontal disc slightly domed, and 



about three inches in diameter. They are pro- 

 duced at the apex of the shoot, and consist of 

 many small florets packed closely together. Each 

 floret has a cup-shaped corolla tube, tlie five 

 white lobes of which look like petals bent backwards. Between the 

 pale green centre and the indentations of the lobes are wliite stamens 

 tipped with yellow. The flower-stalks radiate from a common 

 centre and branch off three times, each time diminishing in length 

 and girth, before the florets appear at their extremities. The dead 

 stalks ot- last year's flowering are still to be found in the forks of 

 the lower branches. 



THE BERRY. 



The florets are succeeded by oval green berries, curiously flattened, 

 and tinged at the tip with the same reddish-brown that colours the 

 pedicels. The berries become less flat as the year goes on, and pass 

 through the whole range of colours, from green by pale yellow and 

 rosc-red to scarlet, before finally becoming black and ripe. They are 

 glossy and smooth to the touch. 



