1G8 CORNACE^. (dogwood family.) 



drupes pale blue. — Dry woods, Florida to South Carolina, and -n-estward. 

 June. — A shrub or small tree. Branches slender and sometimes warty. 



* * Flowers capitate, subtended by a white 4-leaved involucre. 



6. C. florida, L. Leaves ovate-lanceolate or ovate, at length smooth on 

 both sides ; flowers greenish ; drupes ovoid, red. — Oak woods, common. May. 

 — A small tree. Wood hard and close-grained. Leaves of the involucre emar- 

 ginate and thickened at the summit, showy. 



2. NYSSA, L. SotJR Gum. 



Flowers dioecio-polygamous. Sterile flowers in many-flowered heads or cymes. 

 Calyx 5-parted. Stamens .5-10. Petals and pistil none. Fertile flowers single 

 or few in a head. Calyx-limb 5-toothed or obsolete. Petals 5, minute, or want- 

 ing. Stamens 5 - 10, mostly sterile. Style long, revolute. Stigma decurrent. 

 Ovary 1-celled. Drupe 1-seeded. — Trees or shrubs. Leaves alternate, entire 

 or rarely toothed, finely reticulated. Flowers small, greenish, on axillary or 

 lateral peduncles. 



* Sterile flowers in loose clusters. 



1. "N. multiflora, Wang. Leaves oval or obovate, mostly acute, tomen- 

 tose when young, at length shining above : fertile peduncles long and slender, 

 3 - 8-flowered ; drupes ovoid, dark blue. — Kich upland woods, Florida to Mis- 

 sissippi, and northward. May. — A tree 30° - 50° high, with widely spreading 

 branches. Leaves rather tliick, dark green, 2'-5' long. Fertile peduncles IJ'- 

 3' long. Drupe |' long. 



2. If. aquatioa, L. Branches, leaves, &c. tomentose when young, at 

 length nearly smooth ; leaves short-petioled, varying from lanceolate to orbicu- 

 lar, obtuse, sometimes slightly cordate ; peduncles short, the fertile ones 1-2- 

 flowered ; drupes oval, blue. — Ponds and swamps, Florida to North Carolina, 

 and westward. April and May. — A large tree, or in pine-barren swamps 

 sometimes a mere shrub. Leaves l'-2' long. Peduncles J' - 1 ' long. Drupe 

 smaller than in the last. 



3. TT. uniflora, Walt. Leaves large, long-petioled, ovate or oblong, acute, 

 entire or sharply toothed, tomentose beneath, the lower ones often cordate ; fer- 

 tile peduncles elongated, 1-flowered ; drupes ovate-oblong, dark blue. (N. 

 tomentosa, Michx. N. grandidentata, Michx. f.) — Deep swamps and ponds, 

 Florida to North Carolina, and westward. April. — A large tree. Leaves 

 4' - 6' long. Drupe 8" - 12" long. 



* * Sterile flowers capitate. 



4. IT. capitata, Walt. (Ogeechee tiME.) Leaves large, short-petioled, 

 oblong, oval or obovate, mncronate or acute, tomentose beneath ; flowers below 

 the leaves, the fertile ones perfect, solitary, on very short peduncles ; drupe ob- 

 long, red. — Swamps, Florida and Georgia, near tlie coast, and westward. — 

 A small tree. Leaves 3' -5' long. Drupe I'long, agreeably acid. 



