Tab. 5726. 



SPIK^A PALMATA. 



Palmate -leaved Spiraea. 



Nat. Ord. Rosacea. — Icosandeia Pentagynia. 

 Gen. Char. (Vide supra, Tae. 4795.) 



SpiEiEA palmata ; glaberrima, ramis sulcatis, foliis palmatim 5 -7-lobis, lobis 

 ovato-laoceolatis acuminatis argute duplicato-serratis, petiolis validis 

 superne glandulosis v. minute ibliolatis, stipulis dimidiato-lanceolatis 

 glanduloso-serratis, floribus cymoso-umbellatis, albis v. rubris, sepalis 

 parvis reflexis obtusis, petalis orbiculatis, stylis brevibus recurvis, ear- 

 pellis 4-5 pilosis 2-ovulatis. 



Spie^ia palmata. Thunb. Fl. Japon.p. 212. DC. Prod. v. 2. p. 544. 



By far the handsomest species of the genus hitherto im- 

 ported, and certainly one of the most beautiful hardy plants 

 in cultivation; the deep purple-red of the stems and brandies, 

 passing into the crimson-purple of the glorious broad co- 

 rymbs of flowers, contrasts most exquisitely with the foliage, 

 which in autumn assumes beautiful tints of brown and golden- 

 yellow. Spircea palmata is a native of Japan, and was in- 

 troduced by Messrs. Noble, of Bagshot, through Mr. Fortune. 

 from whom dried specimens are in the Hookerian Herbarium 

 at Kew. The specimen here figured flowered in June of the 

 present year. Thunberg describes it as sometimes having 

 white flowers, and Professor Asa Gray has referred a white- 

 flowered Japanese plant to this, which however is identical 

 with a glabrate form of S. digitate (var. glabra, Ledebour), 

 and differs in the much broader stipules with cordate bases. 



Desce. A glabrous, erect undershrub. Brandies slender, 

 deeply grooved, and, as well as the stipules, petioles, and pe- 

 duncles, of a bright crimson-purple colour. Leaves petioled, 

 petiole three to seven inches long, either glandular towards 

 the apex or furnished with several minute gland-serrated 

 leaflets; terminal or solitary leaflet four to live inches diame- 

 ter, five- to seven-lobed; lobes ovate-lanceolate, acute, sharply 



SEi'xjiMUjii: 1st, 1S68. 



