I."(> i,i:itm:kia(i:.i:. (i.kitnkkia family. ) 



1 M. cerifera, I>. (\V.\x-M\itii i;, 1!a^ luiintv.) Uramlilets pubes- 

 cent ; Ifiivcs laiicfolati' or t)lilt)ii;; liUKfoljito mostly olitiise, entire, or willi a 

 few sli:ir|) si-rriitures iH-ar tlie :i|p('x, sniootli, or jiiiljescont on tlic veins lie- 

 neatli, taperinj: into a j)eti(ilo ; sterile unients very numerous, oblong; bracts 

 wotljj;e shaped ; stamens 4 ; fertile aments small ; liracts rounded, obscurely 3- 

 lobe.l ; scales of the ovary 4, ciliaie ; sti/^mas 2; fruit abundant, white. — 

 Margins of swamps, mostly near the co:;st, Fluriila, and northwartl. March - 

 April. — A shrub or small tree. Leaves persistent along our southern limits, 

 but northwardly deciduous, li'-4' long. 



Var. pumila, Michx. Low (1^-2' l''gli)> much branched ; leaves smaller 

 (^'-2' long), persistent, van-ying from wedge-obovate to wedge-lanceolate or 

 lincar-s])atulate, coriaceous, obtuse, mostly toothed near the apex ; aments 

 miiintp, ovdid. fcw-ll.iwored. — Sandy ])ine barrens. 



■2. M.'CarolinensiS, Mill. Branchlets smooth orliairy; leaves larger, 

 obovate-olilong, entire, or slightly serrate near the apex, mostly rounded or 

 emarginate at the summit; aments and nuts larger; scales of the sterile 

 flower roundisii. — Wet jiine barrens. — Shrub 2^-4° high. Leaves mostly 

 deciduous. 



3. M. inodora, Bartr. Smooth ; leaves perennial, coriaceous, oblong, 

 obtuse, very entire, tapering into a jieliob', with the margins revolute ; sterile 

 aments oval or oblong, with the roundish bracts transversely ridged on the 

 back; stamens about 10, monadelphous ; fertile aments small, elongated in 

 fruit ; stigmas 2 or 4 ; scales of the ovary 5 ; nuts large, black, commonly soli- 

 tary. — Margins of pine barren ponds and swam])s, Fbjrida, near the coast. 

 Feb. -March. — A shrub or small tree, with whitish bark. Leaves about 2' 

 long, sparingly dotted. Nuts ovoid, 3" loug. 



2. COMPTONIA, Solander. Sweet Fern. 



Flowers monoecious. Sterile anient cylindrical, with kidney-shaped acumi- 

 nate bracts. Stamens 3, forked. F'ertile ament globular, bur-like. Ovary 

 surrounded by .5 -6 long and slender persistent scales; ovule ortbotropous. 

 Stigmas 2, spreading. Nut ovoid-oblong, smooth. — Low shrubs, with narrow 

 pinnatiti 1 leave-;, and small semicordate .stipules. 



1. C. asplenifolia, Ait. Leaves thin, short petioled, linoar-lanceolate, 

 ■with numerous rounded lobes, deciduous ; fertile aments at the V)ase of the 

 sterile, appearing before the leaves. — Dry woods, North Carolina, and north- 

 ward. April. — riant l°-2° high, aromatic when bruised. Leaves 3'-4' 

 long, reseml>ling those of a fern. 



Order 130. LEITNERIACEiE. (Leitxeria Family.) 



Intermediate between tlie Wax-MjTtle and "Willow Families, and 

 includes only the following genus. 



1. LEITWERIA, Chapm. 



Flowers in aments, dia-cious. each in the axil of a scale-like bract. Calyx 

 and corolla none. Sterile ament many-flowered, cylindrical, elongated ; bracts 



