508 ALTINGIACEAE 



or narrowed at the base, gray -pubescent on the lower surface, oppressed pubescent or 

 eventually glabrate or glabrous above, 3-8 cm. long, 1-4 cm. broad, dentate, prominently 

 3-nerved : flowers solitary or in twos and threes : pedicels, hypanthium and sepals pubes- 

 cent : corolla 2-3 cm. wide : stigmas united. 



On rocky slopes and banks of streams, North Carolina and Tennessee to Georgia and Alabama. 

 Spring. 



3. DECUMARIA L. 



Climbing evergreen shrubby vines, with terete stems. Leaves opposite, without 

 stipules : blades thick, entire or sparingly toothed. Flowers white, in terminal 

 corymbose panicles. Calyx 7-10-toothed. Petals 7-10, narrow, valvate. Stamens 20-30, 

 inserted under the edge of the disk : filaments subulate. Ovary 5-10-celled, inferior : 

 style thick, 5-10-ribbed : stigma capitate, 5-10-lobed. Ovules numerous, pendulous. 

 Capsule turbinate, many-ribbed, opening between the ribs. Seeds narrowly club-shaped, 

 pendulous. Testa thin, reticulated. 



1. Decumaria barbara L. A vine, with climbing stems 1-10 cm. thick which attach 

 themselves by rootlets. Leaf-blades leathery, elliptic or oval, varying to ovate or rarely to 

 obovate, 5-10 cm. long, usually acute or abruptly short-acuminate, more or less strongly 

 toothed above the middle, acute to subcordate at the base, glossy, sometimes slightly 

 pubescent on the nerves beneath ; petioles |- as long as the blades : corymb 5-10 cm. 

 broad, round-topped : hypanthium campanulate to turbinate, about 2 mm. broad : sepals 

 triangular, acute : petals oblong to linear-oblong, 3-4 mm. long, concave, obtuse, shorter 

 than the petals : capsules urn-shaped, 6-8 mm. long, strongly ribbed, surrounded above 

 the middle by the persistent calyx-limb, the clusters pendent : seeds very numerous, 2 mm. 

 long. 



On river banks and in low woods, Virginia to Louisiana and Florida. Spring. 



FAMILY 7. ITEACEAE Agardh. VIRGINIA WILLOW FAMILY. 



Shrubs or trees with upright stems. Leaves alternate : blades simple, 

 toothed, the teeth sometimes glandular-tipped : stipules wanting. Flowers 

 perfect, white, in simple terminal narrow racemes or axillary panicles. Hy- 

 panthium turbinate, or campanulate. Sepals 5, erect. Petals 5, narrow, val- 

 vate, the tips inflexed. Stamens 5, inserted under the edge of an epigynous 

 disk. Filaments slender. Anthers oblong. Gynoecium of 2 carpels united to 

 the apex or near it. Ovary superior or nearly so, elongated, 2-celled. Styles 

 united, a groove showing the line of union. Stigmas capitate. Ovules numerous, 

 in two rows on the placenta. Capsule elongated, 2-grooved lengthwise, open- 

 ing septicidally by 2 valves. Seeds flattened, with the testa produced at both 

 ends, and copious endosperm. 



f 1. ITEA L. 



Characters of the family. VIRGINIA WILLOW. 



1. Itea Virginica L. A straggling shrub, 1-3 m. tall, with pubescent twigs and 

 racemes. Leaf-blades elliptic to oval or obovate, 5-14 cm. long, acute or short-acuminate, 

 bristly-serrate, usually acute at the base, glabrous above, often sparingly pubescent be- 

 neath ; petioles 0.5-1 cm. long: racemes terminal, 3-15 cm. long: pedicels 1.5-3 cm. 

 long : hypanthium broadly campanulate, 2-2.5 mm. broad : sepals lanceolate, about 1 

 mm. long, acute : petals linear or linear-lanceolate, 4 mm. long, erect or finally spreading, 

 acutish : stamens finally as long as the petals : capsules narrow, 6-8 mm. long, seated in the 

 hypanthium, pubescent, 2-grooved. 



In or near swamps, New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania to Florida and Louisiana. Spring. 



FAMILY 8. ALTINGIACEAE Hayne. WITCH HAZEL FAMILY. 



Shrubs or trees, the bark often aromatic and sometimes exuding a fragrant 

 balsam. Stem or branches occasionally furnished with corky wings. Leaves 

 alternate : blades simple, entire, toothed or lobed. Flowers perfect,, or often 

 polygamous or monoecious, in terminal or axillary spikes, clusters or heads. 

 Perianth of 1 or 2 series, or wanting. Calyx of 4 or 5 imbricated sepals. Corolla 

 of 4 or 5, elongated or strap-shaped, valvate petals inserted at the base of the 

 sepals, sometimes wanting. Androecium various : stamens twice as many as 



