FOREST TEEES. 143 



for many of our ancient romances, and quite recently we have 

 discoTered that the Japanese have, and cultivate many varieties 

 of the Diospyros Kaki, some of them have remarkably large 

 and fine fruit. These Japan vaxleties are being quite success- 

 fully cultivated in California, and by a few persons in all our 

 Southern States, but they have not proved quite hardy north 

 of Washington. Specimens of the Japanese persimmons, 

 planted in the neighborhood of New York City, have in some 

 instances escaped being kiUed by cold, but they are by no 

 means hardy in our Northern States. The introduction of their 

 fruit will no doubt awaken an interest in this veiy deserving 

 genus, and may result in the improvement of our native varie- 

 ties. 



DIPHOLIS, A. DO. 



A genus of tropical or sub-tropical trees, closely allied to the 

 BurreUas refeiTed to on a preceding page. One only extend- 

 ing as fax North as Southern Florida. 



Dipbolis salicifolia, A. DC. — Willow-leaved Dipholis. — Leaves 

 evergreen, oblong-lanceolate, pointed, smooth, tapering below 

 into a petiole. Flowers small, oval, one-seeded berry, the size 

 of a pea, the pulp being very dry, and almost destitute of juice. 

 A large tree fifty to sixty feet high on the Florida Keys. 



DKYPETES, Vahl. 



Tropical evergreen trees or shrubs, with entire smooth, 

 petioled leaves, and minute dioecious flowers without petals. 

 Fruit a one or two-seeded drupe. 



Drypetcs crofea, Poit. — ^Leaves three to four inches long, 

 oblong, pointed at both ends, and of a leathery texture. 

 Flowers small, greenish-white, many in a cluster. Fruit some- 

 what foTU'-angled, and velvety, containing one seed. Usually 

 considei'ed only a shrub, but some authorities report it a large 

 tree in Southern Flordia and in the West Indies. Another but 

 smaller species the D. glauca is credited to the same region by 

 Dr. Chapman in his Flora of the Southern States, on the 

 authority of Dr. Blodgett. But this may be only a variety of 

 the last. 



EHRETIA, Linn. 



A genus of tropical evergreen trees or shrubs, of about a 

 dozen species in the East and West Indies, and New HoUand. 

 These have small, white flowers and edible fruit. We have 

 one species. 



