ITEACEAE 507 



5. Phlladelphus latifoliua Schrad. A shrub 2-3 m. high, the bark of the shoots 



gray or yellowish, not exfoliating. Leaf -blades broadly ovate or elliptic, acute at the 



apex, rounded or contracted at the base, 3-10 cm. long, 2-7 cm. wide, mostly dentate, 



softly and densely pubescent on the lower surface, glabrate or glabrous above, 3-5- 



nerved : flowers racemose, the lower pair axillary : pedicels, hypanthium and exterior 



of the sepals pubescent: corolla 3-4 cm. wide: stigmas not united. 



On rocky banks of streams, especially near Nashville, Tennessee. Spring.- — P. pubes- 

 cens Loisel., resembling the last but with brown bark and more numerous flowers, the 

 lower two or three pairs of which are axillary, is unknown in a wild state, but usually 

 regarded of eastern American origin. 



6. Phlladelphus int6ctus Beadle. A shrub 2-3 m. tall, the bark of the shoots 

 gray or ochre-color, not exfoliating. Leaf-blades ovate, oval or elliptic, acute or 

 acuminate at the apex, either rounded or narrowed at the base, 3-12 cm. long, 1-5 

 cm. broad, glabrous or glabrate on both surfaces, prominently 3-nerved, either entire 

 or remotely dentate : flowers racemose, the lower pair axillary : pedicels, hypanthium 

 and exterior of the sepals glabrous: corolla 3-4 cm. wide: stigmas distinct. 



On bluffs of the Cumberland River, below Nashville, Tennessee. Spring. 



7. Phlladelphus hlrsutus Nutt. A shrub 1-2.5 m. tall, the bark of the previous 



season's growth brown, exfoliating. Leaf -blades ovate or ovate-acuminate, either 



rounded or narrowed at the base, gray-pubescent on the lower surface, appressed 



pubescent or eventually glabrate or glabrous above, 3-8 cm. long, 1-4 cm. broad, 



dentate, prominently 3-nerved: flowers solitary or in twos and threes: pedicels, 



hypanthium and sepals pubescent : corolla 2-3 cm. wide : stigmas united. 



On rocky slopes and banks of streams. North Carolina and Tennessee to Georgia and 

 Alabama. Spring. 



3. DECUMARIA L. 



Climbing evergreen shrubby vines, with terete stems. Leaves opposite, without 

 stipules: blades thick, entire or sparingly toothed. Flowers white, in terminal 

 corymbose panicles. Calyx 7-10-toothed. Petals 7-10, narrow, valvate. Stamens 

 20-30, inserted under the edge of the disk: filaments subulate. Ovary 5-10-celled, 

 inferior: style thick, 5-10-ribbed: stigma capitate, 5-10-lobed. Ovules numerous, 

 pendulous. Capsule turbinate, many-ribbed, opening between the ribs. Seeds nar- 

 rowly club-shaped, pendulous. Testa thin, reticulated. 



1. Decumarla bdrbara L. A vine, with climbing stems 1-10 cm. thick which 

 attach themselves by rootlets. Leaf -blades leathery, elliptic or oval, varying to ovate 

 or rarely to obovate, 5-10 cm. long, usually acute or abruptly short-acuminate, more 

 or less strongly toothed above the middle, acute to subcordate at the base, glossy, 

 sometimes slightly pubescent on the nerves beneath ; petioles J-i as long as the blades : 

 corymb 5-10 cm. broad, round-topped: hypanthium campanulate to turbinate, about 

 2 mm. broad: sepals triangular, acute: petals oblong to linear-oblong, 3-4 mm. long, 

 concave, obtuse, shorter than the petals: capsules urn-shaped, 6-8 mm. long, ribbed, 

 surrounded above the middle by the persistent calyx-limb, the clusters pendent: seeds 

 very numerous, 2 mm. long. 



On river banks and in low woods, Virginia to Louisiana and Florida. Spring. 



Family 7. ITEACEAE Agardh. Virginia Willow Family. 



■-to 



Shrubs or trees with upright stems. Leaves alternate : blades simple, 

 toothed, the teeth sometimes glandular-tipped : stipules wanting. Flowers per- 

 fect, white, in simple terminal narrow racemes or axillary panicles. Hypan- 

 thium turbinate, or campanulate. Sepals 5, erect. Petals 5, narrow, valvate, 

 the tips inflexed. Stamens 5, inserted under the edge of an epigynous disk. 

 Filaments slender. Anthers oblong. Gynoecium of 2 carpels united to the apex 

 or near it. Ovary superior or nearly so, elongated, 2-celled. Styles united, a 

 groove showing the line of union. Stigmas capitate. Ovules numerous, in two 

 rows on the placenta. Capsule elongated, 2-gTooved lengthwise, opening' septi- 

 cidally by 2 valves. Seeds flattened, with the testa produced at both ends, and 

 copious endosperm. 



