Htdr.\soba. SAXIFRAGACE^. 691 



bistipulafe, ex Richard) leaves, and simple terminal spicate racemes. Bracts 

 subulate, caducous. Flowers white. 



J. Virginica (Linn. !) — Lam. ill. l.t. 147 ; L'Hcr.stirp. \.p. I.*]? ; Mirhx.! 

 I. c. ; PurshI fl. 1. y^. 171 ; Ell. sk. 1. ;;. 293 ; Ton: ! Jl. l.j). 248 ; DC! 

 jrrodr. 4. p. G. 



In wet places, New .Jersey ! and Peimsylvania ! to Florida ami Louisia- 

 na! May-.Iune. — Shrub 4-8 feet high. Leaves alK)Ut 2 inches loni;, on 

 short ])etioles, oblong or oval, acuminate. Ovary and inside of the jictnls 

 pubescent. Capsule oblong, acuminate with the style. Style furrowed, 

 separating in two with the dehisce:.''',' of the cajjsule. — In the (lowers and 

 fruit, Itea seems to be related not so much to Escallonia as id Wcinmannia 

 and the allied genera, one of which (CaJdcluvia, Don !) haa simjilc undi- 

 vided leaves. 



Suborder III. HYDRANGEA. DC. 



Estivation of the petals valvate, with the margins sometimes in- 

 duplicate. Capsule dehiscent at the summit between the styles 

 when the latter are distinct, opening irregularly when these are 

 united (rarely baccate). — Shrubs, with opposite simple exstipulate 

 leaves. 



14. HYDRANGEA. Gronav. ; Linn. ; Lam. ill. t. 307 ; Garln. fr. I. 30. 



Flowers all fertile, or commonly the marginal ones sterile. Sterile Ft. 

 Calyx membranaceous, colored, veiny, flat and dilated, 4-5-parted. Petals, 

 stamens, and pistils rudimentary or none. Fertile Fl. Tube of the calyx 

 hemispherical, coherent with the ovary, 8-10-ribbed; the limb 4— 6-toothed, 

 persistent. Petals ovate, sessile. Stamens twice as many as the petals, and 

 inserted with them into the margin of an epigynous ring : filaments filiform. 

 Styles 2, distmct : stigmas small. Capsule crowned with the styles and the 

 limb of the caly^c, 2-celled (1 -celled at the top), opening by a foramen 

 between the styles. Seeds numerous, ascending ; the testa conformed to the 

 nucleus, striate or ribbed, membranaceous. — Shrubs (natives of N. America, 

 Japan, Nepaul, and Java), with opposite mostly toothed or serrate leaves, 

 and white or rose-color cymose flowers ; the marginal ones usually sterile 

 and radiant, showy. 



-*^ 1. H. arboresccns (Linn.) : leaves ovate or cordate, mostly acuminate, 

 serrately toothed, puberulent or nearly glabrous; cymes fasdgiate ; flower- 

 buds very obtuse. — Linn. ! spec. 1. p. 397 ,• Lam. ill. t. 370 ; Bot. nia<r. t. 

 437 ; Willd. ! spec. 2. p. 633 ; DC. ! prodr. 4. p. 14. H. vulgaris, Michx. ! 

 Jl. \. p. 268; PuTsh! fi. 1. p. 300; Ell. sk. 1. p. 509; Torr.! Jl. 1. p. 

 442 ; Darlingt. fi. Cest. p. 269. 



a. vulgaris : leaves ovate, obtuse at the base ; flowei's commonly all fer- 

 tile. — H. arborescens, Linn..' {pi. Gronov..') H. vulgaris, Michx.! Sfc, 



p. cordala : leaves broadly ovate, more or less cordate, large; a few of the 

 marginal flowers radiate, sterile. — H. cordata, Pursh! I. c ; DC. I. c. 



y. oblonga : leaves ovate-oblong, mostly acute at the base ; a few of the 

 marginal flowers radiate, sterile. 



3. sterilis : flowers all sterile and radiate. 



