216 DESCRIPTIONS OF THE SHRUBS 



and the berries grow together in a globular head. The American species 

 blooms before the leaves are fully expanded, while the flowers of the 

 Japau species appear after the leaves. Both are hardy to Massachu- 

 setts; 



All the other shrubby forms have the clusters of flowers more open and 

 without large conspicuous bracts. The true flowers of all the species are 

 small and have four petals to the corolla, four teeth to the calyx, and four 

 stamens. The fruit is a, drupe-like berry with one stone in the center 

 and thin flesh. Much of the beauty of the species is due to the bright- 

 colored berries which they bear, though the autumn coloring of the 

 foliage adds to the attractiveness of the group. The bright colors of the 

 twigs of some species, when the leaves have dropped, give winter efiEects 

 of great beauty. 



In general, the common name Cornel, below, may be changed to 

 Dogwood. [Twig cuttings; layers.] 



KEY TO THE COENELS AND DOGWOODS 



* Flowers in close heads surrounded by 4 large petal-like bracts. (A.) 

 A. Berries separated when ripe. (B.) • 



B. Bracts notched at tip; usually a shrub 10-15 feet, occasionally 

 a tree. Flowering Dogwood (339) — Coruus florida. 



B. Bracts generally acute at tip. Successfully cultivated only 

 near the Pacific ; tree to 80 feet. Nuttall's Dogwood — Cor- 

 nus Niittallii. 



A. Berries grown together in fleshy head. (C. ) 



C. Leaves deciduous ; shrub to 20 feet. Japan Dogwood — 

 Comus Kotisa. 



C. Leaves thick, leathery, evergreen ; hardy only South. Ever- 

 green Dogwood (340) — Corhus capitita. 



* Flowers yellow in umbels surrounded at base with small bracts; 



berries bright scarlet. (D.) 

 D. Leaves with fine close-pressed hairs, green both sides. The 

 earliest yellow-flowering shrub. Cornelian 'Cherry' (341) — 

 Comus MSs. 



D. Leaves paler beneath and with large tufts of dark brown hairs. 

 Chinese Cornelian ' Ciierkt ' — Comus officinalis. 



* Flowers white or greenish white In open clusters and without bracts. 



(B.) 



E. Leaves alternate, pale or whitish beneath, 3-5 inches long; 

 branches peculiarly arranged in horizontal tiers. (P.) 



