144 CORXACE^E. 



Order 53. CORWACEiE. 



Low trees, shrubs or rarely herbaczcus p y anfs. with simple madly opposite and 

 entire leaves. Calyx sepals adherent to the ovary, with the limb minute, 4 or 

 5-toothed or lobed. Petals 4 or 5 ■ i t'n t. ; lternate with the teeth of the calyx. 

 Stamens 4; style single; stigma capitate; ovary 1 to 2-celled, with a single ana- 

 tic;ous ovule suspended from the apex of each cell, and fruit a gloBose 2-celled 

 and 2-seeded drupe. 



1. CORXUS. Toirn. 



Lat. cornu. a hern; on account of the hardness of the wood. 



Calyx minutely 4-toothed. Petals 4, oblong, spreading, 

 sessile. Stamens 4. Style 1. Drupes berry-like, sepa- 

 rate. — Trees, shrubs or perennial herbs, with mostly opposite 

 entire leaves, and white or whitish flowers in cymes, often 

 involucrate. Bark bitter and tonic. 



* Flowers capitate, surroundtd by apstaJrUke Cleaved icliiie involucre ; fntit bright 

 red. 



1. C. Canadensis, L. Dwarf Dogwood. 



Herbaceous; stem low and simple: lower leaves small, upper ones whorlefl, veiny, 

 on short petioles, ovate or oral, pointed ; leaves of the involucre ovate. 



Damp cold woods. May — July. A handsome little plant 5 to 7 inches hi^h, 

 arising from a slender creeping and subterranean rather woody rhizoma, with 

 1 to 2 pairs of opposite leaves and a whorl of 4 to 6 at the summit, 2 of which 

 are large, placed a little lower and oppodce. Flowers greenish, surrounded with 

 a large showy involucre of 4 white leaves, sometimes mistaken for a single flower. 



2. C. Florida, L. Floioering Dogwi 



Arborescent; leaves ovate, point -d, downy beneath when young; leaves of the 

 involucre inversely heart shaped; fi 'oners i:nd fruit in a clo.-e head. 



Eocky woods; common. May, June. A tree 15 to 20 feet high, very showy in 

 flower. Flowers inconspicuous, greenith-yellow. Involucre very large and gbewy, 

 obevate, veiny, white, ending in a callous point, which is rr.rned up or down go 

 abruptly as to give an emarginate appearance to the leaf. Berries red, very ^bowy 



** Flowers in cymes: involucre none; shrubs. 



3. C. CIRCINATA, L'ller. Round-leaved Dogwood. 



Branches warty-dotted; leaves rcrfhd-oval, abruptly pointed, white, downy 

 beneath; cymes crowded, depressed ; drupe globose. 



Banks of stream?. June, July. Shrub G to 10 feet high. Stem greyish, upright, 

 with opposite, round, green, spotted or warty branches. Leai c.< large. 4 to r> inches 

 in diameter, opposite, somewhat acuminate. Flowers wLite. Berries light-blue, 

 hollowed at base, crowned with the remains cf the style. 



4. C. SERICEA, L. Red Osier. SiiA-y Dogwood. 



Branches spreading; leaves ovate, acuminate, silk-downy (often rusty) beneath; 

 eymts flat, close; -calyx-teeth lanceolate; drupz globose. 



Wet places, banks of streams; comnon. June. Shrub 4 to 10 feot high, with 

 purplish bark, and opposite branches t nd red shoots. Leaves 2 to 4 inches long, 

 y^ as wide. Flowers yellowish-white. Fruit pale-blue. 



5. C. paniculata, I/Her. Panu led Dogwood, 



Branches erect, smooth ; leave* ovate-lanceolate or ot al, acuminate, acute at baae, 

 whitish beneath; cymes convex, loose, often panicled; fruit depressed-globose. 



