504 HYDEANGEACEAE 



5. Mlcranthes Carolini^na (A. Gray) Small. Leaves 5-19 cm. long; blades 

 oval to orbicular or ovate : panicle wide : petals 3-3.5 mm. long, ovate to oblong-ovate : 

 follicles 4-6 mm. long. 



On banks and cliffs, mountains, Virginia and North Carolina. Summer. 



6. Mlcranthes micrantbidifolia (Haw.) Small. Leaves 10-32 cm. long; blades 

 oblong to oblanceolate: panicles narrow: petals 2.5-3.5 mm. long, oblong or elliptic 

 to oblong-ovate: follicles 7-8 mm. long. 



In mountain broolfs and swamps, Pennsylvania to Georgia and Tennessee. Spring and 

 summer. Mountain Lettuce. 



8. HYDATICA Neck. 

 Acaulescent herbs with short or slightly elongated caudices. Leaf-blades broad- 

 ened upward. Petals unequal, the 3 upper ones abruptly narrowed into the claws, the 

 2 lower ones gradually narrowed. Capsules nearly distinct. [Spatularia Haw.] 

 Saxifrage. 



1. Hydatica petiol^ris (Eaf.) Small. Plants 2-9 dm. tall or rarely smaller: 

 leaf -blades 3-30 cm. long, oblanceolate to oblong-spatulate, coarsely dentate-serrate: 

 sepals strongly deflexed at maturity: petals 3.5-5.5 mm. long, the 3 upper with lance- 

 olate blades: follicles 4.5-5 mm. long. [Spatularia Michauxii (Britton) Small.] 



On cliffs and banks, mountains, Virginia to Georgia and Tennessee. Summer. 



9. ASTILBE Hamilt. 



Perennial caulescent herbs. Leaflets numerous, the terminal one 3-lobed. Flowers 

 very numerous, in spikes, racemes or panicles. Petals 5, or rarely 4, long and narrow, 

 or wanting. Follicles erect. False Goat's-beard. 



Leaflets sharply toothed or lobed: fruit 4-5 mm. high. 1. A. biternata. 



Leaflets crenately toothed or lobed: fruit 3 mm. high. 2. A. crenatilobaia 



1. Astilbe biternata (Vent.) Britton. Foliage bright green. Stem 1-2 m. tall, 

 branching or sometimes simple: leaves ample; blades mostly thrice ternate, longer 

 than the petioles; leaflets acuminate, sharply serrate or incised, often lobed, cordate 

 at the base, the lateral ones oblong to ovate, the terminal ones oval to suborbicular in 

 outline, sharply 3-lobed, all sparingly pubescent beneath: panicle 1-3 dm. long, 

 finely glandular-pilose: sepals ovate, less than 1 mm. long, obtuse: petals narrowly 

 spatulate, 2-3.5 mm. long, shorter or wanting in the perfect flowers: fruit oblong- 

 ovoid, 4 mm. high, the follicles distinct. [A. decandra D. Don.] 



In rich woods in and near the mountains, Virginia to Tennessee, and Georgia. Spring. 



2. Astilbe crenatilob^ta (Britton) Small. Foliage deep green. Stem about 

 1 m. tall, more or less branched: leaves ample; blades thrice ternate; petioles usually 

 shorter than the blades; leaflets thin, crenately toothed or lobed, the teeth or lobes 

 apiculate, the lateral leaflets ovate or oval, cordate at the base, the terminal leaflet 

 ovate or suborbicular in outline, usually 3-lobed, cordate or acute at the base: fruit 

 ovoid, 3 mm. high, the follicles distinct. [A. decandra crenatilobaia Britton.] 



In deep woods. Roan Mountain, North Carolina and Tennessee. Summer. 



Family 6. HYDRANGEACEAE Dumort. Hydrangea Family. 



Shrubs or trees, or sometimes vines. Leaves mostly opposite : blades simple, 

 often toothed. Flowers commonly perfect, in raceme-like or panicled cymes. 

 Calyx of mostly 4—10 small sepals surmounting the often ribbed hypanthium, in 

 sterile flowers often conspicuously enlarged. Corolla of 4—10 petals valvate or 

 convolute in the bud. Androecium of 8-many stamens. Filaments subulate or 

 linear. Gynoeeium of 2-5 united carpels. Styles rarely united. Ovules numer- 

 ous, anatropous. Fruit capsular, sometimes opening through the sides. Seeds 

 numerous. 



Stamens 8-12. L Hydrangea. 

 Stamens 20-40. 



Upright shrubs: styles distinct or rarely united: capsules 3-5-celled. 2. Philadelphus. 



Vmes: styles united: capsules 5-10-celied. 3. Decumaria. 



