DOGWOOD FAMILY 



Calyx. — Slightly urn-shaped, four-lobed, light green, coherent with 

 the ovary. 



Corolla, — Petals four, valvate in bud, inserted on an epigynous 

 disk, rounded or acute at apex, slightly thickened at the margins, 

 green, tipped with yellow. Disk orange colored. 



Stamens. — Four, inserted on the disk, exserted, alternate with the 

 petals. Filaments thread-like ; anthers oblong, introrse, versatile, 

 two-celled ; cells opening longitudinally. 



Ovary. — Inferior, two celled ; style columnar ; stigma truncate ; 

 ovule one in each ceil. 



Fruit. — Ovoid drupe, borne in clusters of three or four, crowned 

 with the calyx lobes and remnant of the style, bright scarlet, half an 

 mch long, smooth, shining, bitter, aromatic. October. Cotyledons 

 foliaceous. 



No other tree of our flora enables the observer so easily 

 to study the life history of its flowers and fruit as does the 

 Dogwood. A shrub ofteiier than a tree, its branches are 

 within easy reach and it conducts its operations so openly 

 that they invite attention. When in early spring, the great 

 white blossoms appearing before the leaves transform the 

 tree into one huge bouquet, it is the glory of the fields and 

 challenges the attention and admiration of every observer. 

 In summer, its low branching habit antl dense foliage give it 

 a peculiar and atti'active appearance ; the clusters of shining 

 red berries together witii the dark red leaves mark it in the 

 autumnal woods, and in the winter, the curious, gray, box-like, 

 flower-buds which tip its branches are unique and striking. 



In order to understand the development of tliose great white 

 spring blossoms, it is necessary to study the tree in midsum- 

 mer of the preceding year. By July a little group of three 

 tiny buds has begun to form at the enil of the many branch- 

 lets of a healthy, vigorous tree. If the terminal bud is to 

 produce flowers it soon outstrips its companions and pro- 

 trudes beyond them. This growth continues through the 

 late summer and on into autunm. By the time that the clus- 

 tered drupes are ripe and the leaves begin to turn scarlet, 

 these terminal flower-buds of the ne.xt year are about the 



ze ol small peas, inclosed by four nivolucral scales, pointed 

 above, rounded beU^w, light brownish gray ui color, inore or 



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