LXIL. ELEAGNA‘CER, 695 
flowers one upon a peduncle. Bracteas rather longer than the ovary. 
Lobes of the calyx wedge-shaped. Drupe oblong, (Miche.) A decidu- 
ous tree. South Carolina and Georgia. Height 70 ft. to 80 ft.; in 
England l0ft. to 12 ft. Introduced in 1735. Flowers greenish; April 
and May. Fruit dark blue; ripe in September. 
Genus II. 
OSY RIS L. Tue Osyris, or Poet’s Casta. Lin. Syst. Dice’cia Triandria. 
Identification, Lin. Gen. Pl.; Willd. Sp. Pl., 4. p. 715. 
Synonyme. Casia Camer., Lob., Alpin., Gesn. 
Derivation, The Osuris of Pliny and Dioscorides is so named from oxos, a branch; from the length 
and pliability of the branches. 
Gen. Char, Flowers apetalous, unisexual, at least in effect ; those of the two 
sexes upon distinct plants.—MMale. Flowers borne in lateral racemes, about 
3—5 in a raceme, and disposed in 1—2 pairs, with a terminal odd one. 
Calyx spreadingly belt-shaped, 3-parted ; its eestivation valvate. Nectary 
disk-like, 3-cornered. Stamens 3, arising from the nectary, alternate to its 
angles, and opposite to the lobes of the calyx. Anthers of 2 separate lobes 
that open inwards.— Female. Flowers solitary. Calya urceolate ; its tube 
connate with the ovary; its limb free, 3-cleft. Svyde single. Stigmas 3. 
Fruit globose, fleshy, exteriorly crowned by the limb of the calyx, and the 
remains of the style. Carpel with crustaceous brittle walls. ( Wild.) 
Leaves simple, alternate, exstipulate, deciduous or sub-evergreen ; entire, 
small, linear lanceolate. Flowers white, peduncled.— Shrub, deciduous 
or sub-evergreen ; native of South of Europe. 
atl, O. a‘LBa L. The whiteflowered Osyris, or Poet's Casia, 
Identification. Lin. Sp. Pl., 1450. ; Willd. Sp. Pl., 4. p. 715. 
Synonymes. O. foliis linedribus acitis Lejl. It. 169.; O. frutéscens baccifera 
Bauh. Pin. 2\2. ; Casia poética Monspeliénsium Cam. Epit. 26.; Casia Latino- 
rum Alp. Exot. 41.; Casia Monspélii dicta Gesn. Epit. 50.; weisse Osyris, 
Ger. 
Engravings. Lam. IIl., t. 802.; and our fig. 1361. 
Spec. Char., §c. Stem roundish, striated. Leaves alternate, 
linear-lanceolate, 1 in. long, entire, glabrous. Flowers upon 
the branchlets, peduncled. (Wil/d.) A low, spreading, deci- 
duous or sub-evergreen shrub. Italy, Spain, Montpelier, and 
Carniola. Height 3 ft. to 4 ft. Introduced in 1793. Flowers 
white; July and August. Drupe red, about the size of a pea. 
The long supple branches of this shrub were formerly used 
for brushes, and they are still used in making crates, or 
packing-cases, in the South of Europe. Propagated by seeds, 
and grown in dry soil, but somewhat difficult to preserve. sein (oucikss 
Orver LXII. ELAAGNA‘CEA. 
Orv. Car. Perianth tubular, entire, 2—4-lobed, persistent. Stamens 3—4 
to 8, alternating with the segments, Anthers nearly sessile, introrse. Ovarium 
free, 1-celled, l-seeded. Style short. Stigma simple, subulate, glandular, 
or tongue-shaped. Fruit enclosed in the pulpy, persistent, enlarged tube 
of the perianth. Albumen thin or fleshy. (G. Don.) 
Leaves simple, alternate or opposite, exstipulate, deciduous; oblong or 
lanceolate, entire. Flowers axillary. — Shrubs or low trees, deciduous ; 
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