10 Addisonia 



The Chinese witch-hazel is a slirub or small tree, with stiff and 

 rather irregular branches. Its leaves are alternate and with short 

 stalks an inch long or less. The leaf-blades are three to four inches 

 long and nearly or quite as broad, being widest above the middle, 

 whence they taper abruptly into a short point and gradually to a 

 broad heart-shaped base. When young they are softly velvety 

 with star-shaped hairs on both sides. These hairs are persistent 

 on the lower side, which remains velvety, but soon disappear from 

 the upper side, leaving that surface slightly rough to the touch. 

 The margin of the leaf is provided with short broad blunt teeth at 

 the end of each principal vein. The flowers are produced from 

 scaly buds and appear in clusters of two to eight on short stalks along 

 the stem. The calyx is small and divided deeply into four bluntly 

 triangular sepals which are curved outward. Alternating with the 

 sepals are four long and narrow yellow petals, suffused with red 

 at the base, and nearly or quite an inch long. There are four fer- 

 tile stamens, and four infertile ones, which are shorter and reduced 

 to flattened scales. In the center of the flower, and partly at- 

 tached to the calyx, is the ovary. It has two cavities, with a single 

 ovule in each, and is prolonged above into two short styles. The 

 fruit is a dry and hard capsule, ripening in the autumn and opening 

 with explosive violence, so that the hard, smooth, black seeds are 

 discharged to a considerable distance. 



H. A. GlEason. 



Explanation of Plate. Fig. 1. — Flowering branch. Fig. 2. — Leaf. Fig. 

 3. — Full-grown but immature fruits. Fig. 4. — Mature fruit. 



