XIX. 2. THE WAYFARING TREE. 369 



Drs. Torrey and Gray have shown that there is no essential 

 difference between this plant and the European Guelder Rose, 

 V. opulus, a variety of which, propagated by gardeners, is the 

 well-known Snow Ball Tree. 



Sp. 2. The Wayfaring Tree. Hobble Bush. V. lantanbldes. 



Michaux. 



Figured in Audubon's Birds, II, Plate 148. 



This plant received its specific name, lantanbides, from its 

 resemblance to the English Wayfaring tree, V. lantdna, the tree 

 which William Howitt addresses, when he says, — 



" Wayfaring tree ! what ancient claim 

 Hast thou to that right pleasant name ? 



* # # # # 



Whate'er it be, I love it well ; 

 A name, methinks, that surely fell 

 From poet, in some evening dell, 

 Wandering with fancies sweet." — Book of the Seasons, p. 115. 



That tree rises to the height of eighteen or twenty feet, and 

 has an ample head of white flowers. Ours, less fortunate in its 

 name, is a stout, low bush, found in dark, rocky woods, and 

 making a show, in such solitary places, of a broad head of 

 flowers, the marginal ones often an inch across. It has large, 

 opposite, very diverging branches, often declining to the ground, 

 and a dark brown bark, scattered with a few grayish, wart-like 

 dots. The recent shoots, flower-stalks and leaf-stalks are pro- 

 fusely clothed with a brown, rusty down, which gradually dis- 

 appears from the branches, except towards the joints. 



The buds come out in threes, of which the middle one often 

 contains flowers and leaves, the side ones leaves only. They 

 have no scales, but are, instead, clothed with a close, rusty 

 tomentum, which gives them the appearance of leather. The 

 leaves are from four to six inches in length and breadth. The 

 leaf-stalks have an appendage at base, which, though gradually 

 shrivelling, is very large at first, forming a broad wing near the 

 base, and terminating in awl-shaped points. 



The leaves are roundish, heart-shaped at base, ending in a 

 short, abrupt point, and unequally serrate on the margin. They 

 48 



