TETRANDRIA. DIGYNIA. 107 



covered by the connivent calix, 1 of them some- 

 times abortive. (Stamina !♦ 2, and 4.) 



Small herbs with trifid or biternately divided leaves, 

 sheathing- at their base; flowers sessile, in axillary clus- 

 ters, or ternuiia! and dichotomously corymbobe. In A. or- 

 bicidata the leaves are round and lobed. 



Species. 1 A. arvensis. In the fields of Virginia. 

 Clayton. (Litroduced?) 



Bi sides the precedin^^ European species there are 3 

 others indiiienous to the alpine mountains of Peru. 



160. HAMAxMELlS. L. (Witch-hazel.) 



Calix 4 -cleft, persistent, with 3 brartes. Pe- 

 tals 4, long and linear, with a short dilated fila- 

 ment at the base of eacii. Filaments and anthers 

 united: anthers 2-celled, eac h cell having a ver- 

 tical valve. Capsule coriaceous, (nut) 2-celled, 

 2-htbed, 2-awned, apex 2-valved, valves cleft. 

 Seeds 2, arillate. 



A small tree with the habit of Ahws; leavt s alternate, 

 stipulate, oblique at the base; flowei s sessile, by threes, 

 in axillary or lateral pedunculaie clusters; caiix pubescent, 

 foliaceous, and persisient; petals hgulaie, alternating with 

 the stamina; capsule indurated, half inclosed in the base, 

 of the persistent calix, bursting elastically; seeds arillate, 

 black and sliming; corcuhim flat, inclosed in a carneous 

 perisperm, radicle descendant, opposite to the hdum. 



Species. 1. // virgivica. Frum Canada to Florida. 

 /3. 7iwcrophylla, leaves suborbiculate cordate, with elevat- 

 ed scabroi'S spots on the under side. — In Georgia, Pursh. 

 Catabaw mountains, (Xorth Carolina) JV*. y. * pawifoliaf 

 leaves smailei, oblong obovute, upper part undidately and 

 grossly crenate, the under side pubescent, somewhat hir- 

 sute; segnients of the calix obiong, stamens and perigy- 

 nous filyments often neai-!y equal. — A shiub every way 

 smaller than the common H virgiuica, with the branches 

 nearly erect, calix somewiiat coloured and diaphanous, 

 petals briijht yellow. Frcm the mountains of Pensylva-" 

 nia, v.v. in Hort. Laiidreth, Philadelphia. 



The flowers of tlie Hamamelis, like those of the Natural 

 Order Amentacex^ to whicli it is somewhat allied, appear 

 either in the winter or very early in the spring, and ia 

 some of 'he vaiieties '.hey are odorous. The under side 

 »f the leaves, and more sparingly the upper, as in FotJter* 



