158 



Ornamental Shrubs. 



age, and creamy-white flowers in July and August. These 

 are both interesting and beautiful. " The buds are round 

 like those of a peony, swelling to an inch in diameter 

 before the leaves unfold. The petals are one and one- 

 half inches broad in the middle, and two inches long the 

 flower, borne on a short, strong peduncle, being fully four 



inches in diam- 

 eter. About 

 the edges the 

 petals are 

 crimped, re- 

 minding one of 

 a fluted shell 

 like that of 

 the scallop, 

 and suggesting 

 shell flower as 

 an appropriate 

 familiar name. 

 In the centre 

 of the flower is 

 a cluster of a 

 hundred stamens or more, with prominent, orange-col- 

 ored anthers. The petals are nominally five, but often 

 we find two or three more, the stamens having changed to 

 petals." When in full blossom the plant is one of surpris- 

 ing beauty, and can never fail to command admiration. 



51 virginica is also a native of the State whose name 

 it bears, though it may have grown farther north also, as 

 one of the names by which it was introduced to the public 



STUARTIA PENTAQYNA. 



