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C O R N U S
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Suecica.
hb
Dwarf Cornel.
T E T R A N D R I A Monogynia,
G en. C har. Cal. of 4 teeth. Petals 4. Drupa inferior.
Nut of 2 cells.
Spec. C har. Herbaceous. Flower between two
branches.
S y n . Cornus Suecica. Linn. Sp. PL 171. With. Bot.
Arr. 161.
C. herbacea. Hudf. FI. An. 7 1 .
Chamaspericlymenum. Rail Syn. 261.
I V I r . William Travis of Scarborough gathered the fpecimen
here figured on the fide of a valley in that neighbourhood,
called the Hole of Horcum, where this alpine plant grows abundantly,
as well as about the Cheviot hills, Northumberland»
and in the Highlands of Scotland, flowering in June and July*
It is nearly allied to a favourite American plant, C. canadenfis,
but does not thrive fo well in a garden.
Root perennial, creeping, long and flender. Stems perfectly
herbaceous, ereCt, riling to the height of 3 or 4 inches,
fquare, leafy. Leaves oppofite, feflile, ovate, entire, ftrongly
ribbed, without ftipulse. Flowers in a little terminal pedunculated
umbel, with a large involucrum of 4 ovate unequal
white leaves, often bordered with red, and turning green as the
fruit ripens. Each flower Hands on a Ihort partial ftalk, and is
in every part, except the ftamina, of an exceedingly deep purple,
almoft black. Stamina and antherse whitilh. The umbel
might eafily be taken, by a cafual obferver, for one fimple
flower with 4 white petals, and we are afraid Ray underftood
it fo, having perhaps not feen it alive. The fruit is round, red,
fweetilh. On each fide the ftalk that fupports the umbel arifes
the rudiment of a branch, which overtops the fruit before it
arrives at maturity. The prefence of thefe branches diftin-
guilhes this fpecies from Cornus canadenfis.