CHAPTER XL 



SHEPHERDIA. 



FAMILY EL^AGXACE^. 



[Named in honor of John Shepherd, formerly curator of the Liverpool Botanio 

 Garden.] 



GENERAL CHARACTERS. 



Deciduous shrubs, or small trees, ^dtli silvery leaves ; 

 flowers dioecious, the sterile 

 ones, (fig. 105) having a four- 

 parted calyx, and eight sta- 

 mens; the fertile flowers, (fig. 

 106,) have an urn-shaped ca- 

 lyx, enclosing the ovary which 

 becomes a berry-like fruit. 

 Leaves opposite, entire, de- 

 ciduous ; the flowers very 

 small, yellow, borne in the 

 axils of the small branches. 



A very small family of 

 plants, and there is but one 

 species of this genus that is 

 worthy of being cultivated 

 for its fruit. 



Shepherdia argentea, — Bufialo Berry; Rabbit Berry; 

 Grosse de Buffle^ of the French ; HippopJicB argentea^ of 

 Pursh. — Leaves oblong, silvery-white on both sides; 

 259 



Fi^. 105. 



T\g. 106. 



