52 DiCOTTrLEDONOtrS. 



Genus L MELIA. 



1. M. AzEDARACH. A medium sized tree, with thick, spreading branches- 

 icavcs bifinnate, leaflets, smooth, about 5 together, obliquely ovate-lanceo- 

 late, toothed. Flowers in axillary panicles. Petals glabrous or very slightly 

 pubescent. 



Remarks.— Th\s tree although a native of Persia, has become naturalized in the- 

 Southern Slates, it atfords a good shade and is not subject to the attacks of insects. 

 The bark of the root has been used as a vermifuge, administered in decoction. It pos- 

 sesses na'-colic properties and should be followed by some carthartic medicine. 



Orddr XXXIV. VITACE^. 



Calyx minute, 5-toothed. Petals 4-5, caducous. Flowers 

 dioecious. Stamens equal the number of petals and opposite 

 them. Filaments sometimes slightly cohering. Anthers ver- 

 satile. Ovary 2-celled, 2-ovules in each cell, surrounded at the 

 base by an expansion of the torus. Styles short or none. 

 Stigma simple. Fruit a globose, pulpy berry. Climbing: 

 shrubs. Lower leaves opposite, upper alternate. Flowers 

 sometimes polygamous, small, greenish. 



Genus I. VITIS. 



Calyx scarcely toothed, small. Petals 4-5 spreading, or 

 more generally united at the top, caducous. Ovary usually 

 2-celIed with 2-ovules in each cell. Fruit a berry l-S-celled 

 and l-5.seeded. Peduncles usually changed into tendrils. 



1. V. RoruNDiFOLiA. Stem twining, ascending the highest trees, with 

 smooth bark, sometimes not climbing, branches verrucose. Leaves cordate, 

 both surfaces shining, glabrous ; small tufts of hair at the junction of the 

 veins, obscurely 3 lobed, toothed. Flowers in racemes, composed of numer- 

 ous small umbels, polygamous. Fruit large, with a coriaceous integument, 

 pleasant to the taste. Bull-grape. Muscadme-grape. Fox-grape 



Yellow, I7. May— June. Common in the middle and low country of 

 Georgia and Carolina. 



2. V. CoRDiPOLiA. Leaves cordate, acuminate, toothed, glabrous, often 

 slightly 31obed. Flowers numerous in loose racemes. Fruit small, sour, 

 nearly black when ripe- Winler-grape. Frost-grape. 



Yellow, h- Common on the banlis of streams. May. 



3. V. RiPARTA. Leaves unequally incised and toothed, teeth very coarse, 

 acuminate, somewhat 3-lobed, petioles, margins and veins pubescent. Flow 

 ers frasrant in loose racemes. Fruit small, dark purple. 



Winter Grape — pleasant fruit. 

 Yellow. 17. May— July. Along the margins of rivers in the upper country. 



4. V. ^sTivALis. Stem very long glabrous, young branches tomentose. 

 Leaves broadly cordate, 3-5-Iobed5 ferruginous, tomentose beneath when 

 youno-, coarsely and unequally toothed, sometimes not lobed. Floviers in ra- 

 cemes opposite the leaves polygamous or dioecious. Fruit small, black, very 

 sour. Summer Grape, 



Greenish yellow, h- May. In rich soil. 



5. V. Labrusca. a large vine, covering the loftiest trees, branches covt 

 ered with a lerruirinous pubescence. Leaves broadly cordate, lobed and 

 an<yled rcpand toothed, tomentose beneath. Facemes small, fertile. Fruity 

 dark purple, globose, large, of a disagreeable flavour. Frnm the seed ': 



