Hydrangea. LXV. SAXIFRAGACE^. '281 



stolons creeping. — Common in rocky woods Can. to Penn., and generally asso- 

 ciated with MitcUa diphylla, which plant, in its general aspect, it much resem- 

 bles. The scape arises from a creeping root-stock about 10' high, often bear- 

 ing a leaf Leaves 2 — 3' long, -f- as wide, hairy, and on hairy petioles 4 — 6' 

 long. Racemes 1 2A' long ; fls. wholly white, with minute bracts. May, Jn. 



6. CHRYSOSPLENIUM. Tourn. 



Gr. xpvooi, gold, arrXriv, the spleen ; on account of the medicinal qualities. 



Calyx adnate to the ovary, 4 — 5-lobed, more or less colored inside ; 

 corolla ; stamens 8 — 10, superior, short ; styles 2 ; capsule obcor- 

 date, compressed, 1 -celled, 2-valved, many-seeded. — Small, aquatic 

 herbs. 



C. Americanum. Schw. (C. oppositifolium. Michx.) . Watei -carpet. 

 Lvs. opposite, roundish, slightly crenate, tapering to the petiole. — A small 

 plant, in springs and streams, spreading upon the muddy surface. Stem square, 

 3 — 6 inches long, divided in a dichotomous manner at top. Leaves opposite, 

 J' in length, smooth. Calyx 4-cleft, greenish-yellow, with purple lines. Corol- 

 la 0. Stamens 8, very short, with orange-colored anthers, which are the only 

 conspicuous part of the flower. The terminal flower is sometimes decandrous. 

 Apr. May. 



Suborder 2.— E SCAI/LONIEJ3. 

 7. I T E A . 



Gr. name for the willow ; from a resemblance of foliage. 



Calyx small, with 5, subulate segments ; petals 5, lance-linear, in- 

 flexed at the apex, inserted on the calyx ; stamens 5, inserted into 

 the calyx ; styles united ; capsule 2-celled, 2-furrowed, 8 — 12-seeded. 

 — A shrub with alternate, simple leaves., and a simple., spicate, terminal 

 raceme of white fioivers. 



I. VlRGINlCA. 



Margins of swamps and sluggish streams, N. J. and Penn, to Flor. 

 Shrub about 6f high. Leaves IJ — 3' long, oval-acuminate, serrulate, on short 

 petioles. Capsule oblong, acuminate with the style, its two carpels separating 

 in maturity. May, Jn. 



Suborder. 3— H Y D R A N G E JE. 



' Petals valvate. Capsules 2-celled. Leaves opposite, exstipulate. Shrubs. 

 8. HYDRANGEA. 



G) . vSoip, water, ayytov, a vessel ; because the cultivated species require so copious a supply of water. 



Marginal flowers commonly sterile, with a broad, rotate, 4 — 5-cleft, 

 colored calyx, and with neither petals, stamens nor styles. Fertile fl. 

 Calyx tube hemispherical, adherent to the ovary, limb 4 — 5-toothed, 

 persistent ; petals ovate, sessile ; stamens twice as many as the petals ; 

 capsule 2-beaked, opening by a foramen between the beaks ; seeds 

 numerous. — Shrubs with opposite leaves. Fls. cymose, generally radiant. 



1. H. arborescens. (H. vulgaris. Michx.) Conimon Hydrangea. 



Lvs. ovate, obtuse or cordate at base, acuminate, serrate-dentate, nearly 

 smooth ; fls. in lastigiate cymes. — An elegant shrub, native in tlie Middle and 

 Western States! cultivated in the Northern, attaining the height of 5 or 6f on 

 . its native shady banks. Fertile flowers small, white, becoming roseate, very 

 numerous. The cultivated varieties have either the marginal flowers radiate, 

 or all sterile and radiate, f 



2. H. auERCiFOLiA. Bartram. Oak-leaved Hydrangea. — Lvs. deeply sinuate- 

 lobed, dentate, tomentose beneath ; cymes paniculate, radiant, the sterile f.mrers 

 very large and numerous. — A beautiful shrub, native of Flor., not uncommon 



