CORNACEAE, Dogwood Family
(incl. Nyssaceae)
Cornus: Shrubs, small trees, or herbs; leaves opposite or rarely alternate, simple, entire; flowers epigynous, bisporangiate, small in compound cymes or in umbelliform or headlike clusters sometimes subtcnded by an involucre of bracts; corolla regular; sepals and petals 4, separate; epigynous disk present; stamens 4; carpels 2. united; locules 2, 1 ovule in each; style 1; fruit a drupe.
Nyssa: Trees; leaves alternate, simple. blades obovate, entire or with a few large teeth; mostly dioecious, but some perfect flowers may be prescnt; flowers small, greenish. tbe staminate in peduncled umbel·tike clusters, tbe carpellate epigynous. in few-f]owered peduncled heads; sepals 5, minute; petals 5, small or none; stamens 5 or more, at edge of disk; ovary 1-locuJed; ovule 1; fruit a drupe.
Cornaceae