508 HAMAMELIDACEAE 



1. ITEA L. 



Shrubs with exstipulate leaves. Eacemes narrow. Hypanthium flattish, not 

 accrescent. 



1. Itea Virginica L. Shrub 1-3 m. tall, twigs and racemes pubescent: leaf- 

 blades elliptic to oval or obovate, 5-14 cm. long, bristly serrate: sepals lanceolate, 

 1-1.5 mm. long: petals linear to linear-lanceolate, 4 mm. long: filaments pubescent: 

 capsules 6-8 mm. long. 



In swamps, New Jersey and Pennsylvania to Missouri, Florida and Louisiana. Spring. 

 VIRGINIA WILLOW. 



FAMILY 8. HAMAMELIDACEAE Lindl. WITCH HAZEL FAMILY. 



Shrubs and trees. Leaves alternate: blades mostly toothed. Flowers per- 

 fect, monoecious or polygamous, variously clustered, or spicate. Calyx of 4 or 

 5 sepals. Corolla of 4 or 5 narrow petals, or wanting. Androecium of 4-many 

 stamens. Gynoecium 2 or 3-carpellary. Ovary 2- or 3-celled: styles distinct. 

 Fruit a leathery or woody capsule, often elastically dehiscent. 



Petals wanting: stamens about 24: filaments club-shaped, elongated. 1. Fothergillq. 



Petals 4, ribbon-shaped : stamens 4: staminodia4: filaments short. 2. Hamamelis* 



1. FOTHERGILLA L. 



Low monoecious shrubs, with erect or underground stems. Leaves alternate: 

 blades membranous or leathery, more or less coarsely toothed, short-petioled, decidu- 

 ous. Flowers white, fragrant, appearing before the leaves or with them, in terminal 

 bracted spikes. Hypanthium campanulate. Calyx truncate or obscurely 5-7-lobed. 

 Petals wanting. Stamens numerous, inserted in 1 row, very conspicuous: filaments 

 clavate-filiform. Ovary 2-3-celled, partly inferior: styles 2-3, subulate-filiform. 

 Ovule 1 in each cavity. Capsule 2-3-lobed, 2-3-valved at the apex. Seed solitary 

 in each cavity. Testa bony. The plants flower in the spring. DWARF ALDER. 



Flowers appearing before the leaves: leaf-blades stellate-pubescent above: filaments mostly less than 



10 mm. long: capsules 6-10 mm. long. 

 Leaf-blades cordate at the base, about as broad as long, toothed from below the 



middle to the apex. 1. F. parvifolia. 



Leaf-blades cuneate or rounded at the base much longer than broad, toothed 



only near the apex. 2. F. Gardeni. 



Flowers appearing with the leaves: leaf-blades glabrate above: filaments mostly 



over 11 mm. long: capsules 11-13 mm. long. 3. F. major. 



1. Pothergllla parvifolia Kearney. A low shrub, forming patches by under- 

 ground stems, its twigs, leaves and inflorescence canescent. Branches 3-6 dm. tall, 

 simple below, branched above: leaf -blades leathery, suborbicular or oval, 2-6 cm. 

 long, coarsely crenate above the middle, dull green and stellate-pubescent above, can- 

 escent beneath when mature, cordate at the base, short-petioled: flowers appearing- 

 before the leaves: spikes 2-3 cm. long, dense: hypanthium canescent: filaments 6-7 

 mm. long: capsules about 6-8 mm. long, turbinate at the base, acute at the apex. 



In sandy oak or pine lands, in the low country, North Carolina to Florida. 



2. Fothergilla Garden Murr. A low shrub, with erect branching stems, its 

 twigs and petioles fineily pubescent. Stems becoming stout near the base: leaf -blades 

 usually leathery, oblong, or nearly so, undulate or sharply toothed near the apex, 

 paler and more densely pubescent beneath than above, varying from cuneate to 

 rounded at the base, short-petioled: flowers appearing before the leaves: spikes 1-4 

 cm. long, dense: hypanthium very densely pubescent: filaments 8-10 mm. long: cap- 

 sules 8-10 mm. long. 



In dry soil, Virginia to Georgia. 



3. Fothergilla major Lodd. A tall shrub, its twigs, petioles and peduncles 

 downy. Stems erect, much branched: leaf -blades membranous, suborbicular, oval or 

 obovate, 6-8 cm. long, coarsely crenate above the middle, cuneate or subcordate at 

 the base, bright green on both sides, glabrous above, paler beneath, and pubescent on 

 the nerves; petioles 5-10 mm. long: flowers appearing with the leaves: spikes 4-7 



