Curtisia
(named after William Curtis, a celebrated English botanist, who founded the "Botanical Magazine"). Assagay-tree. ORD. Cornaceae. A fine greenhouse tree. Calyx four-partite; petals four, oblong, valvate; stamens alternating with the petals. Fruit a small obovoid four (rarely three) celled drupe. It thrives in a compost of sandy loam and peat. Half-ripened cuttings will root in sandy soil, if placed under a hand glass, in gentle heat. C. faginea (Beech-like). fl. pale, small, very numerous, in terminal, trichotomous, much-branched panicles. June and July. l. opposite, broadly ovate, toothed, shining above, ferruginous beneath. h. 20ft. to 40ft. Cape of Good Hope, 1775. The wood is solid, extremely tough, heavy, close-grained, very durable, and resembles plain mahogany.