OLIVE FAMILY 



Leaves. — Opposite, simple, ovate or oblong, four to eight inches 

 long, one to four inches broad, wedge-shaped at base, entire with 

 undulate margins, acuminate, acute or rounded at apex. Feather- 

 veined, midrib stout, primary veins conspicuous. They come out 

 of the but' conduplicate, yellow green and shining above, downy 

 beneath ; when full grown are dark green above, pale below and 

 smooth except the midrib and veins which are hairy. In autumn 

 they turn a clear yellow and fall early. Petiole stout, hairy. 



Flowers. — May, June ; when leaves are one-third grown. Perfect, 

 white, slightly fragrant, borne in loose, downy, drooping, bracted 

 panicles, four to six inches long, from lateral buds ; peduncles three- 

 flowered. 



Calyx. — Four-parted, small, smooth, persistent. 



Corolla. — An inch long, white, dotted 

 on inner surface with purple spots, 

 deeply divided into four, varying to five 

 and six, long and narrow lobes barely 

 united at base; conduplicate, valvate 

 in bud. 



Stamens. — Two, inserted on the base 



of the corolla, extrorse ; filaments short ; 



anthers pale yellow, ovate, two-celled. 



Pistil. — Ovary superior, two-celled ; 



style short ; stigma lleshy, two-lobed. 



Fruit. — Drupe, borne in loose clus- 

 ters, on which the bracts have become 

 leaf-like. Oval or oblong, dark blue, 

 glaucous, one-half to three-fourths of an 

 inch long, surrounded at base by the 

 persistent calyx and tipped with rem- 

 ?nnge-\rei:, ciiiomiHhm vhginka. nants of the Style. Skin thick; flesh 

 Drupes %' to -%' long. dry ; stone thin. 



The Fringe-tree is one of the most beautiful of our orna- 

 mental shrubs and although a native of the south it is hardy 

 at the north and is extensively planted. It prefers a moist 

 soil and a sheltered situation and may be propagated by 

 grafting on the ash. 



The singular appearance of its snow white flowers which 

 look like a fringe, give to it the common name. These 

 flowers appear abundantly when the leaves are half grown 

 and the foliage mass becomes a combination of soft green 

 and pure white, which is most beautiful. 



224 



