Botanical Source.—This elegant tree, attains the height of 30 or
40 feet, with a trunk about 11 feet in diameter, and divaricate
branches. The bark is rough. The leaves are alternate and
unequally bipinnate; the leaflets opposite, ovate, acute,
serrated, sometimes incised, and in pairs with an odd one.
Lilac-colored flowers are borne in terminal panicles, on
axillary peduncles. The corolla consists of 5 petals, patent,
pale-pink inside, deep-lilac outside; the calyx is 5-parted.
Stamens with tube 10-cleft at top, deep-violet; anthers yellow.
Ovary 5-celled; stigma 5-lobed; style columnar. The fruit is a
drupe the size of a small olive, with one 5-celled, bony nut;
the cells are 1-seeded (L.). History.—This tree, although a
native of several Asiatic countries, is cultivated in the warm
climates of Europe and America; it does not grow to any extent
north of Virginia, and flowers early during the spring. Its name
of Beadtree was derived from the use to which its hard nuts are
put in Roman Catholic countries, viz