n.), black, edible. A small tree, 10 to 40 ft. high, of the woods of
southern Illinois and southward. With slight protection it can be
cultivated in Massachusetts.

[Illustration: B. lycioides.]

2. =Bumelia lycioides=, Pers. (SOUTHERN BUCKTHORN.) Leaves 2 to 4 in.
long, oval-lanceolate, usually bluntish with a tapering base and entire
margin, deciduous, a little silky beneath when young. Clusters densely
many-flowered (20 to 30); flowers small (1/6 in.), smooth,
greenish-white. May, June. A spiny shrub or tree, 10 to 25 ft. high, in
moist ground, Virginia, west and south. About as hardy as the preceding
species.

ORDER =XXVII. EBENACEAE.= (EBONY FAMILY.)

A small order of mostly tropical trees and shrubs.

GENUS =55. DIOSPYROS.=

Trees or shrubs with alternate, simple, entire, feather-veined leaves.
Flowers small, inconspicuous, mostly dioecious. Fruit a globose berry
with the 5-lobed thick calyx at the base, and with 8 to 12, occasionally
1 to 5, rather large seeds; ripe after frost.

[Illustration: D. Virginiana.]

=Diospyros Virginiana=, L. (COMMON PERSIMMON.) Leaves 4 to 6 in.
long, ovate-oblong, acuminate, rather thick, smooth, dark, shining
above, a little pale beneath. Bark dark-colored and deeply furrowed in a
netted manner with rather small meshes. Flowers yellowish, rather small,
somewhat dioecious; the staminate ones urn-shaped with mouth nearly
closed; the pistillate ones more open. June. Fruit large, 1 in.; very
astringent when young, yellow and pleasant-tasting after frost. A
handsome, ornamental tree, 20 to 60 ft. high, with very hard,
dark-colored wood and bright foliage. Southern New England to Illinois
and south; also cultivated. =Diospyros Lotus= (DATE-PLUM), with
leaves very dark green above, much paler and downy beneath, and fruit
much smaller (2/3 in.), and =Diospyros Kaki= (JAPAN PERSIMMON), with
large, leathery, shining leaves and very large fruit (2 in.), are
successfully cultivated from Washington, D. C., southward. The under
leaf represents D. Lotus, the upper one a small specimen of D. Kaki.

[Illustration: D. Lotus and D. Kaki.]

ORDER =XXVIII. STYRACACEAE.=

(STORAX FAMILY.)

A small order of shrubs and trees, mostly of warm countries.

GENUS =56. STYRAX.=

Shrubs or small trees with commonly deciduous leaves, and axillary, or
racemed, white, showy flowers on drooping stems. Pubescence scurfy or
stellate; fruit a globular dry drupe, its base covered with the
pers