XXIII. CELASTRACEiE 
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XXIII. CELASTRACE^ 
Shrubs or small trees. Leaves opposite or alternate, stalked, 
simple, not lobed or gland-dotted ; stipules small, soon falling off. 
Flowers small, regular, usually 2-sexual, sometimes polygamous, 
in loose, forking cymes or panicles. Calyx 4- or 5-parted, persis- 
tent, lobes imbricate. Petals 4 or 5, free, spreading, longer than 
the sepals, imbricate, inserted on or beneath the margin of the 
disk. Stamens 4 or 5, inserted on or beneath the margin of the 
disk, alternate with the petals, filaments short, awl-shaped, 
anthers 2-celled. Disk broad, fleshy, occupying the bottom of the 
calyx, often lobed. Ovary sessile on the disk or partially immersed 
in it, usually lobed, 3-5-celled, ovules 2 in each cell ; style short, 
erect, sometimes divided at the top in stigmatic arms. Fruit a 
capsule or a drupe. Seeds 1, rarely 2 in each cell, usually en- 
veloped in a red, fleshy, outer coat (aril or ariflode). — A small 
Order scattered over the tropical and temperate regions of the 
whole w r orld. 
Leaves opposite. 
Stamens inserted on the margin of the disk. Fruit a 
winged, angled or prickly capsule . . . 1. Euonymus. 
Stamens inserted under the edge of the disk. Fruit an 
ovoid drupe 4. Elceodendron. 
Leaves alternate. 
A climbing shrub. Flowers in terminal panicles. Capsule 
globose . . . . . . . .2. Celastrus. 
An erect shrub. Flowers in axillary cymes. Capsule 
3-angled ........ 3. Gymnosporia. 
1. EUONYMUS. The classical name for plants of this genus ; 
derived from the Greek eu, good, and onoma, a name. — Asia, N. 
America, Europe (Britain, Spindle tree, E. eurojpoeus). 
Trees or shrubs, glabrous. Leaves opposite, shortly stalked, 
toothed. Flowers 2-sexual, in axillary cymes. Calyx flat, 4- or 5- 
parted, lobes obtuse. Petals 4 or 5, often toothed or fringed. 
Stamens 4 or 5, inserted with the petals on the margin of the 
nearly flat disk. Ovary immersed in the disk, 3-5-celled ; style 
sometimes minute. Capsule 4- or 5-lobed, lobes angled or winged, 
globose and prickly in E . echinatus ; cells 4 or 5, opening down 
the middle ; seeds 1, rarely 2 in each cell, enveloped in a fleshy, 
red coat or ariflode, and remaining exposed after the capsule has 
opened. 
Leaves thick, leathery. Petals crenate, fringed or toothed. 
Erect trees. Capsule smooth. 
Petals purple- veined, crenate. Capsule 4- or 5-angled, 
not winged 1 . E. tingens. 
Petals white, fringed. Capsule with 4 broad, rounded 
wings . . . . . . . .4 . E. pendulus . 
Climbing shrubs. Capsule prickly. Petals toothed . 3. E. echinatus 
