TETRANDRIA MOXOGYXTA 107 



am 15 to 20 feoj (somctimos 31 or 40 feet) high, with numerous expanding 

 tranches; the young branches opposite, or frequently in fours. Leaves ovate or 

 elliptic acuminate, pil >Se on both sides with short appressed hairs, whitish be. 

 neath,and when young conspicuously pubescent along the nerves. Flowersfa 

 terminal sessile umbels, or clusters. Involucre about 3 inches in diameter, 4-leav- 

 cd ; leaflets in opposite pairs, white, or sometimes tinged with purple, nerved, ob- 

 cordate, $r contracted into a callous notch at apex, the lower pair rather shorter 

 and more orbicular. Calyx tubular, greyish-pubescent; segments obtuse. Co 

 rolla greenish yellow ; petals lance-oM »ng. Style shorter than the stamens \ sH& 

 ma capitato. Drupe oval, bright red when mature ; ?iut 2-cellod. 



flab. Woodlands ; every where common. FL May. F, Sept.-Octobcr. 



Obs. The w >od of this small tree is very close-grained and finn.-affbrdlng ex- 

 celient cogs for mill-wheels, &c The young straight stems make good hoops, 

 for the coopers ; and, in the "good old times," when it was the fashion for our fe- 

 males to put their hands to the distaff, the slender regularly-disposed branches 

 furnished that implement, also, for the spinsters. The bark is an excellent tonic. 

 almost rivalling the cinchona, in efficacy. See Dr. Walker's Inaugural Thesis. 

 Philadelphia, 1803. A preparation called cornine, (analogous to the quinine of 

 the shops,) has been obtained from it by Mr. Geo. W. Carpenter, of Philadelphia; 

 which may some day become important, if the supply of cinchona should fail. 



It is a remark of our observing Farmers, that the proper time to plant Indian 

 Com (Zea mays) is when the involucres of the Dog-wood are first developed. 



f f Flowers cymose, or paniculate — -without an Involucre. 



* leaves opposite. 



2. C. 6KRTCKA, VHtirtt* Branches expanded ; leaves elliptic-ovate. 



acuminate, with a somewhat silky-ferruginous pubescence beneath : 



-vines depressed ; peduncles villous ; drupe roundish-obovoid, blue 



Beck, Bot. p. 153. 



C. lanuginosa. Mx. Jim. 1. p. 92. 



0. sanguine*. Marsh. Arbust. p. 36. Not ? of Linn. &c. 



•>ilkv Counts. Vulgo — Red rod. Swamp Dog-wood. 



Stem slender, virgatc, 6 to 10 feet high, when young yellowish green, or often 

 t»urple ; branches spreading, the young shoots and petioles lanuginous. Leaves 2 

 o 5 inches long and 1 to 3 inches wide, on petioles half an inch to an inch in 

 mgth, elliptic-ovate, acuminate, nearly smooth above, silky-pubescent and lighter 

 •olored beneath, the nerves and veins becoming a reddish brown. Cymes termi- 

 nating the young branches, pedunculate, the common peduncle one and a half to 

 5 inches long, with 3 to 5 principal divisions, all woolly-pubescent ; flowers crowd- 

 ed. Calyx small, pilose; segments acute. Corolla yellowish white; petals suL- 

 linear, rather obtuse, broader at base. Drupe subglobose, or roundish-obovoid. 

 bright palish blue when mature ; nut 2-celied. 



Hob. Margins of swamps, and streams : frequent. FL June. fr. Octo. 



Obs. Prof. Hooker seems to think that neither this, nor our C. paniculata, i* 

 Sufficiently distinct fromC. alba: But, whatever may bo the fact with respect to 

 * paniculata, I am satisfied our C. sericea is altogether a different plant. We have, 

 however, a Cornus closely allied vo this species— with upright dark purple branch- 

 es, and leaves with the under surface nerves and petioles smooth,— which I am 

 '\cliaed to suspect may be the C. sanguinea, of the American Botanists ; but I 

 ^oabt its being more than a variety of the present one. The bark of the C. seri- 

 ^ has also been ascertained to possess valuable ttmic properties. See Dr. Wmifs 

 **$ Thesis, as above- 





