XXIV. RH AMN ACE JE 
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veins 5-7 pairs. Flowers in small, axillary or terminal clusters. 
Drupe ovoid, J in., purple-blue. 
Temperate Himalaya, Sikkim to the Indus, 4000-10,000 ft., usually on 
rocks ; May-July. 
3. RHAMNUS. The classical name of some spinous shrub, 
perhaps a Rhamnus or Lycium. — Most warm and temperate 
regions except Australia. 
Shrubs or small trees, usually erect, spinous or unarmed. 
Leaves alternate, nearly opposite in R. virgatus, stalked, toothed, 
feather- veined, veins nearly parallel. Flowers sometimes poly- 
gamous, on short, unequal stalks in axillary clusters or panicles, 
rarely solitary. Calyx 4- or 5-parted, tube cup-shaped. Petals 4- 
5 or none. Stamens 4-5. Disk thin, lining the calyx-tube. Ovary 
at the bottom of the calyx-tube, quite free, 3-4-celled, narrowed 
upwards into a short, 2-4-branched style. Drupe small, berry- 
like, obovoid or globose, black when ripe, containing 2-4 stones. 
Spinous. Leaves nearly or quite opposite 
Unarmed. Leaves alternate. 
Erect shrubs or trees. Leaves 2J-5 in. 
Flower-clusters axillary. Petals none . 
Flower- clusters in axillary particles. Petals 5 
A procumbent shrub. Leaves in. 
1. R. virgatus. 
2. R. purpureus. 
3. R. triqueter. 
4. R. procumbens. 
1. Rhamnus virgatus, Roxb. ; FI. Br. Ind. i. 639, under R. 
dahuricus. A spinous shrub or small tree, nearly or quite glabrous. 
Leaves opposite or nearly so, sometimes in clusters or crowded 
near the end of short, thick, opposite branches, lanceolate or ovate, 
1-4 in., often long-pointed, sometimes crenate. Flowers crowded 
in the axils of the clustered leaves or at the base of branches. 
Drupe obovoid, | in. long. 
Simla, Mahasu, common ; April-June. — Hilly districts throughout India, 
ascending to 9000 ft. — X. China, E. Siberia, Manchuria. 
Closely allied to the common Buckthorn of Britain (R. catharticus). 
2. Rhamnus purpureus, Edgw. ; FI. Br. Ind. i. 639.. An 
unarmed shrub, glabrous or nearly so ; young branches purple. 
Leaves alternate, rarely nearly opposite, ovate -lanceolate, 2^-5 in., 
often abruptly pointed. Flowers in small, axillary clusters. Petals 
none. Drupe obovoid, \ in. long. 
Simla, Jako, Xarkunda ; May, June. — W. Himalaya, 5000-10,000 ft. 
3. Rhamnus triqueter, Wall. ; FI. Br. Ind. i. 639. An un- 
armed. pubescent shrub or small tree. Leaves alternate, oblong- 
ovate, acute, 3-5 in. Flowers in small clusters on long branches 
of axillary panicles. Drupe ovoid, J in. 
Valleys below Simla ; May-August. — W. Himalaya, 3000-5000 ft. 
