. the figures Specific Characters. Leaves oblong-ovate, obtuse; both surfaces glabrous, and covered with silvery pel-tate scales. Flowers in clusters. The calyx of the male flowers considerably larger than that of thefemale, and divided down to the base into 4 sub-ovate, obtuse divisions, internally yellowish, but scalyoutside, like the leaves. Stamens 8, often with rather short, pubescent filaments. Anthers oblong, 2-celled. The female flowers are smaller, and shortly pedunculate, without stamens. Style 1, and athickish, oblique, s
. the figures Specific Characters. Leaves oblong-ovate, obtuse; both surfaces glabrous, and covered with silvery pel-tate scales. Flowers in clusters. The calyx of the male flowers considerably larger than that of thefemale, and divided down to the base into 4 sub-ovate, obtuse divisions, internally yellowish, but scalyoutside, like the leaves. Stamens 8, often with rather short, pubescent filaments. Anthers oblong, 2-celled. The female flowers are smaller, and shortly pedunculate, without stamens. Style 1, and athickish, oblique, sub-elliptic stigma. The germ appears inferior, but is, in fact, only invested by thetube of the calyx. Berries bright and pellucid, occurring in clusters, and sparingly scattered withscales. Seed, or nut, with a cartilaginous shell, sub-ovate, and shining, and scored externally as ifpartly 2-lobed, with a small projection at the base. Embryo straight and flat, without albumen, andthe radicle inferior. Cotyledon large, thick, and oval.—Adapted, from Description. I HE Shepherdia argentea, in its natural habitat, is a small, rather narrow-topped shrnb, from ten to fifteen feet inheight, with the branches ending in stout spines; butin a state of cultivation, the summit is more rounded,the branches become pendulous, and the generalaspect of the tree greatly resembles the ohve. Theflowers, which come out as early as March, are suc-ceeded by brilliant scarlet berries, about the size ofthe Antwerp red currant, and, at the close of summer,when the branches are almost concealed in clusters,few objects are more singularly beautiful, contrasted as they are with the silveryhue of the leaves, with a mixture of white and dark-green shade. These berriesare devoured with avidity by all frugivorous birds, particularly by the Americanrobin, (Turdus migratorius,) and the blue-bird, (Saxicola sialis.) which flockaround the trees in throngs, as long as the fruit remains.
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1850, bookyear1851, initial, initialt
