ILEX 



SPINDLE TREE OBDEB 



EUONYMUS 301 



I. latifolia. — A handsome Japanese 

 tree about 20 ft. high, with blvmtly ovate 

 serrate leaves of a deep shining green 

 above, paler beneath. It makes a good 

 specimen plant on grass land. 



Culture do. as above. 



I. opaca. — This ornamental tree is a 

 native of the Eastern United States and 

 reaches a height of 20-40 ft., and may be 

 recognised by its flattish oval leaves, the 

 wavy edges of which are sparingly fur- 

 nished with spiny teeth. 



Culture dc. as above. 



Other species of HoUy in cultivation, 

 but rarely met with, are /. amhigua, 

 I. Amelanchier, I. Cassine, I. Dahoon, 

 I. decidua, I. Icevigata, and I, verticil- 

 lata, all from the United States and N. 

 America ; and I. integra and I. rotunda, 

 natives of China and Japan. 



NEMOPANTHES.— A genus con- 

 taining a single species : — ■ 



N. canadensis (Ilex canadensis ; 

 Prinos integrifoUus). — This is a smooth- 

 branched shrub about 3 ft. high, with 

 alternate, slenderly stalked, oblong, de- 

 ciduous, entire or slightly toothed leaves. 

 Flowers small, polygamous, white. Calyx 

 in the male flowers minute, 4-5-toothed ; 

 in the female flowers absent. Petals 4-5, 

 distinct, linear, spreading. Stamens 4-5. 

 Fruit a light red drupe with 4 or 5 bony 

 nutlets. 



Culture amd Propagation. — ■ This 

 species thrives in cold, damp, shady places, 

 and is most readily increased by seeds. 

 These may be sown in cold frames as soon 

 as ripe, and the young plants treated in 

 the same way as recommended for HoUies 

 above. 



XXXII. CELASTRINEiE— Spindle Tree Order 



An order of small shrubs or trees sometimes spinescent or climbing. 

 Leaves opposite and alternate, often leathery, always simple, sometimes lobed. 

 Stipules minute when present. Mowers very small, greenish or white, often 

 hermaphrodite. Calyx 4-5-lobed or parted. Petals 4-5, imbricate. Stamens 

 3-5 (very rarely 2-10). Fruit a capsular berry, drupe, or samara. 



EUONYMUS (Spindle Tree).— A 

 genus with about 40 species of erect or 

 rarely climbing, usually smooth, evergreen 

 or deciduous trees or shrubs, with opposite, 

 stalked, entiite or toothed leaves. Calyx, 

 petals, and stamens have the characters 

 of the order. Fruit a 3-5-ceUed, angled 

 or winged, leathery, often warted capsule. 

 Seeds enclosed in an aril. 



Cult/are amd Propagation. — The green, 

 and variegated green and gold and silver 

 Spindle Trees are familiar objects in 

 British gardens. They all grow freely in 

 any kind of soil. I have seen some small 

 plants send their roots through the chinks 

 of a wooden box into a gravel path, and 

 grow into fine bushes, with the box still 

 adhering to the base. For hiding old 

 walls, fences, or unsightly parts of the 

 garden, the Spindle Trees are very useful. 

 They are easily increased by inserting 

 the ripened tips of the branches about 

 3 in. long into a fine sandy loam in 

 autumn, keeping them damp and fresh 

 with a frequent spraying overhead. To 

 obtain bushy specimens, the tips of the 

 leading shoots must be pinched out. This 

 wiU induce the development of side 



branches, the tips of which may likewise 

 be pinched out if a still more bushy habit 

 is required. 



E.americanus {Burning Bush; Straw- 

 berry Bush). — A deciduous N. American 

 shrub 2-6 ft. high, with smooth, 4-angled 

 branches, and ovate oblong-lanoe-shaped, 

 serrate leaves, almost sessile. Flowers 

 in June, greenish-purple. Fruit scarlet. 

 The variety ohovatus is chiefly distin- 

 guished by having obovate leaves. 



Culture dc. as above. 



E. atropurpureus (Waalioo). — A 

 smooth-branched N. American species 

 6-14 ft. high, with ovate-oblong, pointed, 

 serrate, stalked leaves, and dark purple 

 flowers in June. 



Culture dc. as above. 



E. europseus [Common Spindle Tree). 

 A smooth, fetid, native deciduous shrub, 

 5-20 ft. high, with ovate-lanoe-shaped, 

 finely serrate leaves, and small greenish- 

 white flowers in May, followed by an 

 abundance of bright pink fruits, which 

 open when ripe and reveal the orange- 

 coloured aril. There is a white-fruited 

 variety, one with scarlet leaves in autumn, 



