304 DESCRIPTIONS OF THE SHRUBS 



KEY TO THE SILVERY-SCALED SHRUBS — EL^EA^G- 

 NUS, HIPPOPHOE, AND SHEPHEEDIA 



* Leaves alternate, deciduous ; hardy ; flowering in the spring, April- 

 June. (A.) 

 A. Branchlets and under sides of the leaves silvery- white vrithout 

 any brown or reddish scales ; shrubs or trees to 20 feet with 

 leaves 2-3 inches long. (B.) 

 B. Leaves entire and not crisped at edges ; berries usually large, 

 oval, yellow coated vrith silvery scales, axillary, 1-3 in a clus- 

 ter. Often spiny (the most spiny form is Spiny Oleastek 

 (532), var. spinbsa) : Russian 'Olive,' Garden ELiEAGNus 

 or Oleaster (530) (531) — Elaeagnus angustif61ia. 



B. Leaves crisped at edges; flowers and fruit crowded on short 

 side shoots ; berries nearly globular, silvery when young, pink 

 in summer when ripe (J inch long). Small-leaved Ht^mag- 

 Nus (533) — Elseagnus parvifblia. 



A. Branchlets with reddish or brownish scales, sometimes with 

 some silvery scales ; leaves silvery below but frequently with 

 brownish scales. (C.) 



C. Fruit decidedly juicy, some shade of red or scarlet, edible. (D.) 

 D. Pruit nearly globular, short-stalked, erect, J inch long, ripe 



Sept. or Oct.; leaves crisped at edge and without brown 

 scales beneath. Shrub to 12 feet, often spiny. Japanese 

 Oleaster (534) — Elseagnua umbeUa,ta. 

 D. Eruit oval, erect or nodding, ripe July or Aug. on stems 

 about as long as the fruit, \ inch; leaves with a few brown 

 scales beneath, not crisped at edges. Spreading shrub to 

 8 feet. El^eagnus — Elseagnus multiflbra. 

 D. Fruit pendulous, oblong, J inch long on stems over an inch 

 long, ripe June or July. Shrub to 6 feet. Japanese Goumi. 

 (535) — Elaeagnus Wngipes. 

 C. Eruit rather dry, silvery white, oval, ^J inch long on short 

 stems, ripe July, Aug. Erect spineless shrub to 12 feet; leaves 

 silvery on both sides and with brownish scales beneath. 

 El^agnus or SiLVERBERRY — Elseaguus arg^ntea. 

 C. Fruit somewhat poisonous, though eaten by birds, bright orange, 

 globular (\ inch), in clusters, found in abundance but only on 

 a portion of the plants as the flowers are dioecious ; leaves very 

 slender, grayish green above and silvery below. Br.^nches end- 

 ing in sharp spines. Sea Buckthorn (536) — Hippophae 

 rhamnoides. 



