CLASSIFICATION AND DESCRIPTION 



75 



sharply serrate, long-acuminate. Flow- 

 ers inconspicuous, dioecious, in loose- 

 spreading clusters at the ends' of the 

 branches. The pistillate flowers form 

 small, black, pea-shaped fruit, in loose, 

 grape-like clusters, thickly covered with 

 glands containing a bitter, aromatic oil, 

 and remaining on the tree in winter. Me- 

 dium-sized tree (20 to 40 ft.), with Aflan- 

 thus-like leaves which turn bright red in 

 autumn, and remain long on the tree. 

 Hardy as far north as central Massa- 

 chusetts. 



P. Amurnse. 



ORDER X. MELlACE-ffi. (MELIA FAMILY.) 



.Tropical trees, including the Mahogany; represented 

 in the south by the following : 



GENUS 15. M^LIA. 



Trees with alternate, bipinnate leaves. The flowers 

 are conspicuous and beautiful, in large panicles, in the 

 spring. Fruit in large clusters of berry-like drupes, with 

 a 5-celled stone. 



Melia Az6darach, L. (CHINA-TREE. 

 PRIDE OP INDIA.) Leaves very large, 

 doubly pinnate, with many obliquely 

 lance-ovate, acuminate, smooth, serrate 

 leaflets. Flowers small, lilac-colored, de- 

 liciously fragrant, in large axillary clus- 

 ters. Fruit globular, as large as cherries, 

 yellow when ripe in autumn ; hanging on 

 through the winter. A rather small (20 

 to 40 ft. high), rapidly growing, round- 

 headed, popular shade-tree in the south, 

 and hardy as far north as Virginia. In- 

 troduced from Persia. 



M. Az6darach. 



