IN SOUTH CAROLINA. 123 
crepancy between Ventenat and Pursh, (the former having 
figured it with linear-spatulate petals, while the latter found 
it apetalous), and which, perhaps, throws some additional 
light upon the genus. The flowers are dicecio-polygamous, 
the two forms differing from ‘each other in aspect, much as 
the staminal and pistillate plants of Spirea Aruncus. In one 
form, the filaments are exserted to twice or thrice the length 
of the calyx; and the spathulate-linear petals, inconspicuous 
only on account of their narrowness, are nearly as long as 
the stamens; the ovaries are well formed and filled with 
ovules, which, however, so far as I have observed. are never 
fertilized; and the stigmas are smaller than in the fertile 
plant and not papillose. In the other or fertile form, 
both the stamens and the petals are in an abortive or 
rudimentary state, and being sborter than the sepals, and 
concealed by them in dried specimens, are readily overlooked; 
the stigmas are large, truncate, and papillose ; and a portion 
of the ovules become fertile. The Japanese species (Hoteia 
Japonica, Morr. & Decaisne, the Spirea Aruncus of Thun- 
berg), appears to have uniform and perfect flowers ;* but the 
Species from Nepal (Astilbe rivularis, Don, the Spirea bar- 
bata of Wallich, but not of Lindley), is probably polygamo- 
dicecious, like our own; at least the flowers are apetalous, in 
a fragment given me by Prof. Royle, and the stamens mostly 
equal in number to the sepals. I have no doubt that these 
three species belong to a single and highly natural genus, for 
Which the name of Astilbe must be retained; for I see neither 
justice nor reason in superseding the prior appellation (as 
Suggested by Endlicher,t on account of the incompleteness 
of the character, which correctly describes one state, at least, 
of the plant intended), by the subsequent Hoteia, the charac- 
* “ Flores in meo J aponico specimine omnes inveni hermaphroditos, 
nec ullos polygamos.” Thunberg, Flora Japonica, p. 212, sub Spirea 
4runco, | 
t Si quod nunc asserunt auctores, Hoteia et Astilbe, Don; revera tum 
Plantes congeneres, posterius incomplete ab auctore suo descriptum sup- 
P'méndum, et prius egregie stabilitum servandum erit." Endi. Gem. 
Suppl. p. 1416 
