I 



364 10. VIBURNUM OPULUS. [CL V. 



Diagnosis. 



The essential character of the species consists in the gxan- 

 "dular leaf-stalks, and in the three-lobed leaves, which are 

 somewhat rounded at the base, but which also taper, and 

 have their lobes short and unequally dentated. The most 

 nearly related to this species are two North American species, 

 V. Oxycoccos Pursh, and edade Pursh ; for both of them 

 have the same glandular leaf stalks, the same general form of 

 the leaves, the same unfruitful marginal flowers in the false 

 umbel, and the same colour of the berries. But in V. Oxy- 

 coccos the leaves taper at the base into a long wedge shape, 

 have three distinct nerves, in the axillae of which are some 

 hairs : the lobes of the leaves are drawn out to a great length, 

 and have few teeth. In V. edule Pursh, the lobes of the 

 leaves are also shorter than in V. Opulus^ but the teeth are 

 produced into a fine point. Viburnum acerifolium also agrees 

 in the three-lobed form of the leaves, but the glands are 

 wanting on the leaf-stalks, these last named parts being fur- 

 nished, instead of glands, with long white hairs. The leaves 

 are more rounded at the base, have stronger hairs on their 

 lower surface, and the flowers are all alike. Other species have 

 still more numerous differences. The case is the same with 

 V. orientate Pall., which has quite the appearance of V. aceri- 

 jhlium^ and is distinguished from it simply by its larger and 

 more obtuse teeth, and by the oval form of the seed^ which, 

 in Y. acerifolium^ is heart-shaped. 



Geographical Distribution. 



Viburnum Opulus grows throughout all Europe, from 40^ 

 to 60^ N. Lat. Its southern limit seems to be Constanti- 

 nople, its most northerly Upsal. In America, the three 

 species already mentioned, V. Oxycoccos^ edule, and acerifo- 

 lium, and in Asia, V. orientate supply its place. It grows in 

 great abundance on Caucasus, along with this latter species. 



