CLASSIFICATION AND DESCRIPTION 



81 



quite dark ; slightly hairy beneath on 

 the veins ; prickles twin, one recurved, 

 sometimes none. New growth of the 

 year green, and resembling a once-pin- 

 nate compound leaf and usually drop- 

 ping off in the autumn like one. Leaves 

 10 to 20 on a twig, 2-ranked; flowers 

 and drupes nearly sessile in the axils; 

 fruit small (V in.), blood-red when ripe. 

 A small tree (10 to 30 ft. high), of recent 

 introduction from Syria ; hardy at Phila- 

 delphia, but needing some protection at 

 the Arnold Arboretum, Massachusetts. 



ORDER XV. SAPINDACE-ffi. (SOAPBERRY FAMILY.) 



A large order represented in all countries, and so 

 varied in its characteristics as to form several sub-orders. 



GENUS 23. JESCULUS. 



Deciduous trees or sometimes shrubs, with opposite, 

 palmately compound leaves with serrated, straight- veined 

 leaflets. Flowers usually conspicuous in dense terminal 

 panicles. Fruit large, leathery-coated, often rough, with 

 one or few large Chestnut-like but bitter seeds. Fruit 

 large in midsummer, hanging on the tree until frost. 



* Fruit prickly. (A.) 



A. Leaflets usually 7 ; flowers widely spreading 1. 



A. Leaflets 5-7, red-spotted and rough ; flowers rosy red 



Msculus rubicunda (1). 



A. Leaflets usually 5 ; flowers not much spreading 2. 



* Fruit smooth or nearly so. (B.) 



B. Flowers bright red 3. 



B. Flowers yellow, purplish or pinkish 4. 



B. Flowers white, in long, slender, erect clusters 5. 



1. JEsculus Hippoc&stanum. (COMMON HORSE-CHESTNUT.) 

 Leaves of 7 obovate, abruptly pointed, serrated leaflets. Flowers 



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