HAMAMELACE.E. (wiTCH-HAZEL FAMILY.) 151 



— A small ( 1' - 4') succulent biennial herb, branching from tlie base. Leaves 

 terete, Uesliy. Flowers white. 



1. D. pusilla, -NUtt. — On flat rocks in the upper districts. March - 

 -April. 



5. PENTHORUM, Grouov. 



Sepals 5. , Petals 5, often wanting. Stamens 10. Carpels 5, united into a 

 5-celled capsule, spreading at the summit, which falls away at maturity. 

 Seeds numerous. — Perennial (not fleshy) herbs, with alternate serrate 

 leaves, and yellowish flowers on one side of the revolute branches of the 

 simple cyme. 



1. P. sedoides, L. Stem erect, 1°- 2° high; leaves lanceolate ; petals 

 commonly none. — Ditches and muddy places, common. July - Sept. 



Ordkr 53. HAMAMELACE^E. (Witch-Hazfx Family), 



Trees or slu-ubs, with alternate leaves, deciduous stipules, and 

 clustered or spiked, often polygamous or mouoecious flowers. — Calyx 

 tube coherent with the base of the ovary. Petals 4 - 5, long and 

 linear, or none. Stamens twice as many as the petals, with the alter- 

 nate ones sterile, or numerous and perfect. Styles 2. Capsule woody, 

 2-celled, opening at the summit. Seeds anatropous, bony. 1 - 2 in 

 each cell. Embryo large and straight, in scarce albumen. 



Synopsis. 



1. HAMAMELIS. Calyx lobes and petals 4. Fertile stamens 4. Ovules solitary in each 



cell, suspended. 



2. FOTHERGILLA. Calyx 5-7-toothed. Petals none. Stamens numerous, all fertile. 



Ovules solitary, suspended. 



3. LIQUIDAMBAR. Calyx and corolla none. Flowers polygamous or mouoecious, capi- 



tate. Stamens numerous. Ovules several. 



1. HAMAMELIS, L. Witch-Hazel. 



Calyx 2-3 bracted, 4 parted. Petals 4, long and linear. Stamens 8, the 

 alternate ones .short and sterile. Styles 2. Capsule loculicidally 2-valved at 

 the apex, the outer coat separating from the inner one, which encloses the 

 seed, but soon splits elastically into 2 valves. Seeds large, bony. — Shrubs. 

 Leaves short-petioled. Flowers yellow, clustered. 



1. H. Virginica, L. — Low woods. Nov. — A large shrub. Leaves 

 obovate or oval, oljlique, crenate-toothed, pubescent; flowers appearing when 

 the leaves are falling, late in autunni. 



2. FOTHERGILLA, L. 



Calyx truncate, obscurely 5-7-tootlied. Petnls none. Stamens numerous, 

 slender, perfect. Styles 2. Capsule 2-lobed, 2-celled, 2-valved at the apex, 

 with a single bonv seed in each cell. — A shrub, with oval or obovate leaves, 



