504 HYDEANGEACEAE 



5. Micranthes Caroliniana (A. Gray) Small. Leaves 5-19 cm. long; blades 

 oval to orbicular or ovate : panicle wide : petals 3-3.5 mm. long, ovate to oblong-ovate : 

 follicles 4-6 mm. long. 



On banks and cliffs, mountains, Virginia and North Carolina. Summer. 



6. Micranthes micranthidiffclia (Haw.) Small. Leaves 10-32 cm. long; blades 

 oblong to oblanceolate : panicles narrow: petals 2.5-3.5 mm. long, oblong or elliptic 

 to oblong-ovate: follicles 7-8 mm. long. 



In mountain brooks and swamps, Pennsylvania to Georgia and Tennessee. Spring and 

 summer. MOUNTAIN LETTUCE. 



8. HYDATICA Neck. 



Acaulescent herbs with short or slightly elongated caudices. Leaf-blades broad- 

 ened upward. Petals unequal, the 3 upper ones abruptly narrowed into the claws, the 

 2 lower ones gradually narrowed. Capsules nearly distinct. [Spatularia Haw.] 

 SAXIFRAGE. 



1. Hydatica petiolaris (Eaf.) Small. Plants 2-9 dm. tall or rarely smaller: 

 leaf -blades 3-30 cm. long, oblanceolate to oblong-spatulate, coarsely dentate-serrate: 

 sepals strongly deflexed at maturity: petals 3.5-5.5 mm. long, the 3 upper with lance- 

 olate blades: follicles 4.5-5 mm. long. [Spatularia Michauxii (Britton) Small.] 



On cliffs and banks, mountains, Virginia to Georgia and Tennessee. Summer. 



9. ASTILBE Hamilt. 



Perennial caulescent herbs. Leaflets numerous, the terminal one 3-lobed. Flowers 

 very numerous, in spikes, racemes or panicles. Petals 5, or rarely 4, long and narrow, 

 or wanting. Follicles erect. FALSE GOAT 'S-BEARD. 



Leaflets sharply toothed or lobed: fruit 4-5 mm. high. 1. A. biternata. 



Leaflets crenately toothed or lobed: fruit 3 mm. high. 2. A. crenatilobata 



1. Astilbe biternata (Vent.) Britton. Foliage bright green. Stem 1-2 m. tall, 

 branching or sometimes simple: leaves ample; blades mostly thrice ternate, longer 

 than the petioles; leaflets acuminate, sharply serrate or incised, often lobed, cordate 

 at the base, the lateral ones oblong to ovate, the terminal ones oval to suborbicular in 

 outline, sharply 3-lobed, all sparingly pubescent beneath: panicle 1-3 dm. long, 

 finely glandular-pilose: sepals ovate, less than 1 mm. long, obtuse: petals narrowly 

 spatulate, 2-3.5 mm. long, shorter or wanting in the perfect flowers: fruit oblong- 

 ovoid, 4 mm. high, the follicles distinct. [A. decandra D. Don.] 



In rich woods in and near the mountains, Virginia to Tennessee, and Georgia. Spring. 



2. Astilbe crenatilobata (Britton) Small. Foliage deep green. Stem about 

 1 m. tall, more or less branched: leaves ample; blades thrice ternate; petioles usually 

 shorter than the blades; leaflets thin, crenately toothed or lobed, the teeth or lobes 

 apiculate, the lateral leaflets ovate or oval, cordate at the base, the terminal leaflet 

 ovate or suborbicular in outline, usually 3-lobed, cordate or acute at the base: fruit 

 ovoid, 3 mm. high, the follicles distinct. [A. decandra crenatilobata Britton.] 



In deep woods, Roan Mountain, North Carolina and Tennessee. Summer. 



FAMILY 6. HYDRANGEACEAE Dumort. HYDRANGEA FAMILY. 



Shrubs or trees, or sometimes vines. Leaves mostly opposite : blades simple, 

 often toothed. Flowers commonly perfect, in raceme-like or panicled cymes. 

 Calyx of mostly 4^-10 small sepals surmounting the often ribbed hypanthium, in 

 sterile flowers often conspicuously enlarged. Corolla of 410 petals valvate or 

 convolute in the bud. Androecium of 8-many stamens. Filaments subulate or 

 linear. Gynoecium of 2-5 united carpels. Styles rarely united. Ovules numer- 

 ous, anatropous. Fruit capsular, sometimes opening through the sides. Seeds 

 numerous. 



Stamens 8-12. 1. HYDRANGEA,. 



Stamens 20-40. 



Upright shrubs: styles distinct or rarely united: capsules 3-5-celled. 2. PHILADELPHIA 



Vines: styles united: capsules 5-1 0-celled. 3. DECUMARIA. 



