Evonymus. | XXIII, CELASTRACEA!. 99 
1. &. europzeus, Linn. (fig. 223). Common Spindte-tree.—A glabrous 
shrub, about 3 to 5 feet high. Leaves shortly stalked, ovate-oblong or 
lanceolate, pointed, and minutely toothed. Peduncles shorter than the leaves, 
with seldom more than 3 or 5 flowers, of a yellowish-green colour. Petals 
4, obovate, about 2 lines long, the stamens half that length. Pod red when 
ripe, opening at the angles so as to show the seeds enclosed in a brilliant 
orange-coloured arillus. 
In hedges and thickets, in temperate and southern Europe, and western 
Asia, extending into southern Scandinavia. Frequent in many parts of 
England, local in Ireland, rare in Scotland. VU. spring or early summer. 
The #. latifolius, from the continent of Europe, the Z#. atropurpureus, 
from North America, and some other exotic, especially Japanese, species, are 
occasionally planted in our shrubberies. 
XXIV. RHAMNACEA. THE BUCKTHORN FAMILY. 
An extensive family, widely dispersed over the globe, but 
confined in Britain to the single genus Rhamnus. The exotic 
genera all agree with that one, and differ from the adjoining 
families in the position of the stamens, alternating with the 
sepals, the petals either small and opposite to (or underneath) 
the stamens, or wanting. 
The Ceanothuses of our gardens belong tothis family. The Grape Vine, 
the Virginian creeper, and other species of Vitis and Cissus have the same 
relative position of the stamens and sepals; but the stamens being more 
decidedly hypogynous, and the habit different, they form the independent 
family Vitacee. 
I RHAMNUS. BUCKTHORN. 
‘Shrubs, with alternate undivided leaves, and small green flowers on short 
pedicels, usually clustered in the axils of the leaves. Calyx with 4 or 5 
short, deciduous teeth or sepals. Petals none or very small. Stamens 4 or 
5, alternating with the teeth of the calyx and opposite the petals, inserted 
on a disk which lines the base of the calyx. Ovary free, 3- or 4-celled, with 
one erect ovule in each cell. Style very short. Fruit a small berry (or 
drupe) enclosing 3 or 4 small one-seeded nuts. Embryo in a fleshy 
albumen. 
A considerable genus widely spread over the northern hemisphere, both 
in the new and the old world, penetrating into the tropics, with a few 
southern species. : 
The evergreen Alaternus of our shrubberies is a species of Rhamnus 
(2. Alaternus) from southern Europe. 
Leaves minutely toothed. Branches often thorny. Flowers 
diccious; stamens4. 8. ». ». «© «| +» © « 1. KR, catharticus. 
Leaves entire. Nothorns. Flowers hermaphrodite; stamens5 2. R. Frangula, 
1, R.catharticus, Linn, (fig. 224). Common Buckthorn.—A gla- 
brous shrub with spreading branches, the smaller ones often ending in a 
stout thorn. Leaves stalked, ovate, acuminate or pointed, rarely obtuse, 
14 to 2 inches long, bordered by very small regular teeth, marked with a 
H 2 
