2. Euonymus. Erect shrubs. Leaves deciduous. Fruit 3–5-lobed. 3–5-valved. Aril red.
3. Pachystima. Dwarf evergreen shrub. Flowers very small. Fruit oblong, 2-valved. Aril white.
1. CELÁSTRUS, L. Staff-tree. Shrubby Bitter-sweet.
Flowers polygamo-diœcious. Petals (crenulate) and stamens 5, inserted on the margin of a cup-shaped disk which lines the base of the calyx. Pod globose (orange-color and berry-like), 3-celled, 3-valved, loculicidal. Seeds 1 or 2 in each cell, erect, enclosed in a pulpy scarlet aril.—Leaves alternate. Flowers small, greenish, in raceme-like clusters terminating the branches. (An ancient Greek name for some evergreen, which our plant is not.)
1. C. scándens, L. (Wax-work. Climbing Bitter-sweet.) Twining shrub; leaves ovate-oblong, finely serrate, pointed.—Along streams and thickets. June.—The opening orange-colored pods, displaying the scarlet covering of the seeds, are very ornamental in autumn.
2. EUÓNYMUS, Tourn. Spindle-tree.
Flowers perfect. Sepals 4 or 5, united at the base, forming a short and flat calyx. Petals 4–5, rounded, spreading. Stamens very short, inserted on the edge or face of a broad and flat 4–5-angled disk, which coheres with the calyx and is stretched over the ovary, adhering to it more or less. Style short or none. Pod 3–5-lobed, 3–5-valved, loculicidal. Seeds 1–4 in each cell, enclosed in a red aril.—Shrubs, with 4-sided branchlets, opposite serrate leaves, and loose cymes of small flowers on axillary peduncles. (Derivation from εὖ, good, and ὄνομα, name, because it has the bad reputation of poisoning cattle. Tourn.)
1. E. atropurpùreus, Jacq. (Burning-bush. Waahoo.) Shrub tall (6–14° high) and upright; leaves petioled, oval-oblong, pointed; parts of the (dark-purple) flower commonly in fours; pods smooth, deeply lobed.—N. Y. to Wisc., Neb., and southward; also cultivated. June.—Ornamental in autumn, by its copious crimson fruit, drooping on long peduncles.
2. E. Americànus, L. (Strawberry Bush.) Shrub low, upright or straggling (2–5° high); leaves almost sessile, thickish, bright green, varying from ovate to oblong-lanceolate, acute or pointed; parts of the greenish-purple flowers mostly in fives; pods rough-warty, depressed, crimson when ripe; the aril and dissepiments scarlet.—Wooded river-banks, N. Y. to Ill., and southward. June.
Var. obovàtus, Torr. & Gray. Trailing, with rooting branches; flowering stems 1–2° high; leaves thin and dull, obovate or oblong.—Low or wet places; the commoner form.