CAPRIFOLIACE.E. 



379 



1. Tuberous Moscatel. Adoxa Moschatellina, Linn. 

 (Fig. 454.) 



(Eng. Bot. t. 453.) 



A low, glabrous herb, of a light-green 

 colour in all its parts ; the rootstock 

 covered with a few thick scales the re- 

 mains of old leafstalks, and emitting 

 creeping, half- underground runners. 

 Radical leaves stalked, once, twice, or 

 even three times ternate, with broad, 

 deeply 3-lobed segments. Flower-stems 

 radical, from 4 to 6 inches high, with a 

 single pair of leaves on short stalks, and 

 but once ternate. Flowers pale-green, 

 in a little globular head at the top of the 

 stem, containing usually 5 ; the ter- 

 minal one with 2 divisions to the calyx, 

 and 4 to the corolla, and 8 stamens ; 

 whilst the 4 lateral flowers have 3 divi- 

 sions to the calyx, and 5 to the corolla, 

 with 10 stamens ; but these numbers 

 are not quite constant. Berry green 

 and fleshy, most frequently containing 

 but a single seed. 



On moist, shady banks, in woods and other shady places, especially 

 in hilly districts, in northern and central Europe, Russian Asia, and a 

 part of North America, extending far into the Arctic regions, and 

 ascending to the highest alpine summits. In southern Europe, chiefly 

 confined to mountains. Common in Britain. Fl. spring. 



Fig. 454. 



II. ELDER. SAMBUCUS. 



Trees, shrubs, or tall herbs, with opposite pinnate leaves, and large 

 cymes or corymbs of numerous, rather small, white flowers. Calyx 

 with a border of 5 small teeth. Corolla with a very short tube, and 

 5 spreading divisions, so as to appear rotate. Stamens 5, inserted at 

 the base of the corolla. Stigma sessile, 3- to 5-lobed. Fruit a berry, 

 or, strictly speaking, a berry-like drupe, with 3, rarely 4, seed-like 

 stones, each containing a single seed. 



2 g2 



