©F STORTH AMERICA* 
m 
I "have since ascertained that Forestiera was 
the first unemployed name given to this Genus 
by Poiret, and must be adopted by all correct 
Botanists ! This Genus thus made ambiguous 
in name is also somewhat doubtful in charac- 
ters, because the dioical flowers are difficult to 
examine: it contains probably many species 
as these shrubs are unnoticed unless met in 
bloom. They are very near to Fraxinus by 
the flowers, and Chionanthus by the fruit, and 
simple opposite leaves : Thus evidently of the 
same natural family. But like Fraxinus they 
include several subgenera, that ought perhaps 
to be Genera, and I will consider them as such 
in order to distinguish them better. 
713. Forestiera Poir. Raf. Dioical, calix 4 
parted persistent, 2 or 3 anthers on a single 
central filament, fern. fl. calix 2 or 4 parted 
unequal, no corolla, one pistil with style and bilobe 
stigma. Fruit a berry drupaceous one seeded, 
seed cartilaginous sulcate or rugose. Shrubs 
with commonly entire opposite leaves and la- 
teral sessile flowers . This includes most of 
the species; but they must all be examined 
again, in bloom. 
714. CARPOXIS Raf. (sharp fruit) Poly- 
gamous ? Calix 4parted Stamens 4 inserted in 
the calix (Elliot,) calix with a 5th smaller seg- 
ment outside and more than 4 stamens, each 
on a filament. Fem. fl. ternate on fascicled 
peduncles, no calix, pistil oblong, no style, stig- 
ma sessile acute. Drupaceous berry oblong 
v ruminate, seed sulcate. Shrubs often thorny, 
leaves fyc as in Forestiera . I have followed % 
the figure of Michaux which shows almost a 
polyandrous flower ? and the whole quite dif- 
ferent from the others. Elliot justly doubts the 
12 
