376 THE COENEL FAMILY. 



On a great variety of trees, but especially on the Apple, extending 

 over the whole of temperate Europe, from Sweden to the Mediter- 

 ranean, and far into Asia, but not everywhere abundant. Common in 

 southern and especially western England ; rare in the north, and not 

 known in Scotland or Ireland. Fl. spring. 



XXXV. THE CORNEL FAMILY. CORNACEiE. 



Limited in Europe to the single genus Cornel, with which are 

 associated two or three allied tropical genera, scarcely differing 

 from the Aralia family, except in their erect, not climbing habit, 

 the more generally opposite leaves, and the more complete union 

 of the carpels and styles. 



Among the exotic genera cultivated in our gardens may be mentioned 

 the Japanese Aucuha (of which however we only possess the female) 

 and the JBenthamiafragifera from the Himalaya. 



I. CORNEL. CORNUS. 



Tree, shrubs, or very rarely herbs, with opposite (or in one exotic 

 species alternate), undivided leaves, and rather small flowers in termi- 

 nal corymbs without bracts, or in umbels or heads surrounded by 

 bracts, which are sometimes coloured and petal-like. Calyx, 4 small 

 teeth round the summit of the ovary. Petals 4, valvate in the bud. 

 Stamens 4, alternating with the petals. Style simple. Ovary 2-celled, 

 with a single pendulous ovule in each cell. Fruit a berry-like drupe ; 

 the stone 1- or 2-celled, with 1 seed in each cell. Seeds with a fleshy 

 albumen and a rather long embryo. 



A genus not numerous in species, but extending over the temperate 

 and colder regions of the northern hemisphere, both in the new and 

 the old world. It was formerly included in the Honeysuckle family, 

 from which it differs chiefly in the distinct petals, valvular in the bud. 

 Low herb. Umbel surrounded by 4 petal-like bracts ... 1. Dwarf C. 

 Shrub. Flowers in a corymb, with bracts 2. Common C. 



Some other shrubby species of Cornel are often planted in our shrub- 

 beries, especially C. alba, alternifolia, and florida, from North Ame- 

 rica, and C. mas from southern Europe. 



1. Dwarf Cornel. Cornus sueeica, Linn. (Fig. 452.) 

 (Eng. Bot. t. 310.) 

 Unlike as this little herb is to the common C, its generic affinity may be 



