( 4o ) 
being durable and not liable to be eaten by worms ; 
it affords excellent planks, &c. for {hip building ; 
alfo polls, rails, boards, fhingles, &c. &c. and to 
it our dairy women are indebted for tubs, pails, 
churns, &c. 
DIOSPYROS, 
The DATE PLUM, or PERSIMMON TREE. 
Ciafs 23. Order 2. Polygamia Dioecia. 
* r "PHE Hermaphrodite female. 
The Empalement is compofed of one leaf, four-cleft, large, 
cbtufe and permanent. 
The Corolla , of one petal, pitcher-fhape, larger, and four-cleft; 
the divifions acute and Spreading. 
The Filaments are eight, briftly, fhort and lightly inferted in 
the receptacle. The Antherce are oblong and effcete. 
The Germen is roundifh. The Style one, half four-cleft, per- 
manent and longer than the ftamina. The Stigmas are obtufe 
and two- cleft. 
The Seed-veJJel is a berry, which is globotis, large, eight-cell’d* 
and fitting on the large fpreading calyx. 
The Seeds are folitary, roundifh, coffiprefled, and very hard. 
*The Male in diftinft plants. 
The Empalement confifts of one leaf, four-cleft, acute, ereft, 
and fm all. 
The Corolla of one petal, pitcher-fhape, coriaceous, four-cor- 
nered and four cleft: the divifions are roundifh and revolute. 
The Filaments are eight, very iliort and inferted in the recepta- 
cle. The Antherce are double, long, and acute; the interior 
ihorteft. 
The Pijlillum, is the rudiment of a germen. 
The Species with us , but one , viz. 
Diqspyros virginiana. Virginian Perfimmon 
Tree. 
This grows naturally in moift clayey ground, in 
Pennfyl vania and Maryland, as well as Virginia ; fif- 
ing 
