liA^•l)BOOK iiF TijKES OF THE iS' I ));'n 1 ij{.\ States and (.'a^tada. 347 



The Common or European Bucktliorn or 

 Waythorn, sometimes called also tlic Kliine- 

 berry. is an introduced tree in the L'nited 

 States, as a hedge plant, and has become 

 naturalized in many places througliout tlie 

 eastern states. It is a native of JMirope and 

 western and northern Asia. As we find it in 

 this country it occasionally attains the height 

 of 2C to 30 ft., and its short trunk, sometimes 

 12 or 1-t in. in diameter, di\'ides near the 

 ground into large upright limbs, which develop 

 an oblong or spreading bushy top of crooked 

 branches and many small spiny branchlets; or 

 it is often only a spreading bush. It is an 

 interesting species for shrubberies, on account 

 of its small distinct leaves and closely clustered 

 black berries, and it is also a good hedge plant, 

 on account of its many stiff spiny branchlets. 

 Its bark yields a medicine of strong cathartic 

 properties, and is also used in making a yellow 

 dye. 



The wood is heavy, hard, firm, very durable, 

 of characteristic fine grain and yellowish or 

 pinkish brown color, with narrow light yellow 

 sap-wood. It is suitable for use in turnery, 

 for tool-handles, etc.i 



Lrnvrs opposite, deciduous. Iiroad ovate or oval, 

 l^/^-o in. lonj2;. mostly rounded or nhl use at base. 

 obtuse or acute, finel.v crenate serrate, slabrous, 

 with 12-4 pairs of prominimt \-eins runninff from 

 near tlie liasi' nearly to the apex : winter buds 

 scaly. Flfnrr.^ ( i\Iay-.Jnne ) aliout Vs in. wide, in 

 2-A axillary clusters. 4 nuniereus : petals very 

 narrow. Fruit sul">i;lohr)se. Iilack. aliout i/i in. 

 across, very liilter and containing o or 4 nutlets: 

 seed sulcate on ihQ haek.- 



1. A. W., XII, 277. 



2. For genus see p. 44S. 





