268 ORDER XLII. RHAMNACE.E. 



Genus I.— STAPHYLE'A. L. 5—3. 

 (From the Greek staphule, a bunch or cluster.) 



Sepals 5, united at the base, oblong, erect, colored, persistent. 

 Petals 5, obovate. Stamens 5. Ovary composed of 3 carpels, 

 hairy. Styles separable. Fruit inflated, capsule 2 — 3-celled. 

 Seeds globular, slightly compressed, generally two in each cell. 

 Leaves compound. 



1. S. trifo'lia, (L.) A shrub, -with slender, smooth branches. Leaves 

 ternate, opposite. Leaflets ovate, acuminate, finely serrate, scarcely 

 pubescent when grown. Petioles pubescent near the leaflets. Flowers 

 in terminal, pendulous panicles. Petals obovate, spatulate, ciliate at 

 the base. Stamens exserted, filaments hairy at the base. Fruit 3-lobed, 

 with the carpels distinct at the summit. — White. ^ . May. In middle 

 Car. and Geo. 6 — 12 feet. Bladder-nut 



Genus II— EUOX'YMUS. Tour. 5—1. 

 (From the Greek eu, good, and onoma, a name — well named.) 



Sepals generally 5, united at the base, spreading. Petals 6. 

 Stamens inserted into the upper surface of the broad disk. An- 

 titers with a thick connectivum at the back. Ovary imbedded 

 in the disk, 3 — 5-celled, with 2 — 3 ovules in each cell. Styles 

 short and thick. Fruit a 4 — 5-ci'lled and as many lobed cap- 

 sule, dehiscence loculicidal. Seeds usually inclosed in a fleshy 

 aril. Shrubs with opposite serrate leaves. Peduncles axillary. 



1. E. America'nus, (L.) A slender shrub, with small, slender, 4-an- 

 gled branches. Leaves usually nearly elliptic, varying 1 to lanceolate, 

 oval or obovate, acute, obscurely serrate. Flowers on axillary pedun- 

 cles, each usually bearing 3. Calyx very small. Petals obovate, small, 

 expanding, flat. Stamens short. Capsule deep red when mature, Vur- 

 rucose, fleshy. Seed 1 in each cell, covered by a scarlet aril. — Green 

 tinged with purple. ^ . Common. 4 — 5 feet. 



Strawberry-tree. Burning- bush. 



2. E. atroptjrpu'reus, (Jacq.) A shrub, with smooth branches. Leaves 

 petiolate, oblong, lanceolate, acuminate, serrate, acute at 'the base. 

 Peduncles compressed, many-flowered, parts of the flower usually by 

 fours. Petals broad-obovate. Capsules lobed, smooth, red. — Dark pur- 

 ple. T 2 . June — July. Common along streams. 4 — 12 feet. 



Order XLTL— RHAMNA'CE^E. 



Calyx 4 — 5-cleft, aestivation valvate. Petals 5, distinct, cu- 

 cullate or convolute, narrowed at the base, inserted into the throat 

 of the calyx, sometimes wanting. Stamens 5, and opposite the 

 petals. Ovary composed of 2 — 4 united carpels, 2 — 4-celled, 

 cohering to the calyx or imbedded in a fleshy disk. Ovules 

 erect, solitary. Styles more or less united. Stigmas distinct. 

 Fruit fleshy or dry, generally united to the calyx. Scales ana- 



