54 NEW SYLVA 



in Eaton, nor any of the above shrubby Labiate. 



MONOGKAPH OF CEANOTHUS. 



This pretty and useful natural Genus de- 

 serves a complete examination, being now great- 

 ly increased in species : they are all small 

 shrubs, or bushes, but some are perennials. 

 Linneus had only one, Michaux, Bigelow, Nut- 

 tal Hooker and myself have added many others, 

 altho' Eaton enumerates only 6. All have es- 

 tival white flowers in thyrsoid corymbs, but C 

 azureus has blue flowers. Leaves alternate 

 with short petiols. Roots red and medical see 

 my Med. flora. This G. commonly united to 

 the Rhamnides, rather belongs to the Phylici- 

 des with Phylica, Bumalda, Brunia, Hovenia, 

 Colletia, &c, having all fruits coccular as in 

 Euphorbides ; but the stamens are opposed to 

 petals and often inserted thereon. The Asiatic 

 and African sp. of this G. appear to form pecu- 

 liar genera, the asiatic form the G. Carpode- 

 tus, the Polynesian the G. Pomaderis, and the 

 African must form my G. Hypoma, see fl. tel. 



607. Ceai^othus officinalis Raf. Med. fl. 

 2 p. 205. Americana L. and Authors, now be- 

 come an absurd name, the whole G. being 

 American — Shrubby, branches terete smooth 

 fuscate leaves ovatoblong acum. serrate trinerve 

 pubescent and pale beneath, petiols pubescent, 

 base rounded, panicles lax terminal or on long 

 peduncles angular, pubescent, pedicels gemi- 

 nate or fasciculate — from Canada to Alabama 

 and Louisiana, 2 or 3 feet high, leaves 2 or 3 

 inches long, end often obtuse altho' acumiftate, 

 flowers very small, panicles often with one or 

 two small leaves. Var. 1. Ocatus, leaves 

 rather oval, 2 Acutus all the leaves acute, 3 



