KHAMNACEiE, 



253 



immersed in or surrounded by the disk; ovules 2 in each cell; styles 

 united into one, or none; stigma 3 to 5-lobed. Fruit a loculicidal 

 capsule, tree from the calyx. Seed ariled, with large embryo and 

 broad and thin cotyledons; endosperm fleshy. 



1. EUONYMUS L. Burning Bush. 



Leaves opposite, petioled, deciduous. Flowers (in ours) 5-merous, 

 purplish, in cymes on axillary peduncles. Petals inserted beneath 

 the 5-lobed disk. Stamens inserted on the disk. Style short or none. 

 Capsule 3 to 5-celled, 3 to 5-lobed, the cells 1 to 2-seeded. Seeds 

 covered with a fleshy red aril. 



1. E. occidentalis Nutt. Burning Bush. Erect, slender. 6 to 

 14 ft. high, the branches 4-anc;led; leaves thin, ovate or often broad- 

 est above the middle and abruptly acuminate, serrulate, 1£ to 4 in. 

 lorn;, on petioles 3 lines long; peduncles 1 to 1£ in. long, 3 to 

 6-flowered; flowers 4 or 5 lines broad; calyx-lobes broad and obtuse; 

 petals roundish, brownish purple, finely dotted and with scarious 

 margins; cap>ule depressed, smooth, deeply 3-lobed, often £ in. broad. 



Near the coast: Santa Cruz Mountains, McLean, 1873; Marin Co.: 

 Howards, Sonoma Co., J. J. Rivers; northward to Humboldt Co., 

 Marshall. June. 



Pachystima Myrsinites Eaf. - Evergreen undershrub with cori- 

 aceous leaves £ to 1 in. long; flowers 1 line wide; ovary 2-celled. — 

 Yuba Co. to Mt. Shasta. 



55. RHAMNACE/E. Buckthorn Family. 



Shrubs or small trees with simple leaves and mostly caducous 

 stipules. Flowers small, regular. Stamens and petals 4 or 5, the 

 lobes of the calyx as many. Petals perigynous, inserted with the 

 stamens on a disk lining the calyx-tube, sometimes wanting, com- 

 monly clawed. Stamens alternate with the lobes of the calyx, that 

 is, opposite the petals. Ovary mostly 3 (2 to 4)-celled, free or adnate 

 by the disk to the base of the calyx. Style simple or 3 (2 to 4)-cleft. 

 Fruit a berry or capsule. 



Calyx free from the ovary; petals small or none, not hooded; fruit fleshy, 

 berry-like 1. Rhamntjs." 



Calyx adnate to base of ovary; petals hooded by inflexion of the tip; fruit 

 dry, capsular 2. Ceanothus. 



1. RHAMNUS L. Buckthorn. 

 Shrubs with alternate leaves and small greenish perfect or polyga- 

 mous flowers in axillary clusters. Calyx with 4 or 5 short sepals or 

 teeth. Petals very small or none; claws short. Stamens 4 or 5; 

 filaments short. Ovary ovoid, free; style short, 3 to 4-cleft. Fruit 

 berry-like, black, containing 2 to 4 separate seed-like nutlets of bony 

 or cartilaginous texture. (The ancient Greek name of these plants.) 



Flowers complete; fruit black. 



Leaves thickish, mostly 1 to 2 in. long 1. R. Calijornica. 



Leaves thinnish, 3 to 6 in. long 2. R. Purshiana. 



Flowers apetalous, often polygamous; fruit red 3. R. eroeia. 



