86 DIALYPETALOUS EXOGENS 



Preserves, or sweet-meats. The Quince is supposed to be the golden 

 apple of the Hesperides, so celebrated in ancient fable ; but if the 

 Orange had been then known, it would doubtless have been esteemed 

 a more precious fruit, by "the Western Maidens." The C. Japon- 

 ica, Per 8. or Flowering Quince (Pyrus Japonica, Willd.}, is highly 

 prized for its beauty as an early-flowering shrub; butthe/rwi 

 though remarkably fragrant is very hard and acerb. 



126, AMELAff'CHIER, Medik. 



[The popular French name of one of the species.] 



Calyx-tube ovoid. Petals 5, lance-oblong. Pome berry-like, wit? 

 5 cartilaginous double cells, each division 1-seeded; seeds ofte*. 

 abortive. Shrubs : leaves simple ; flowers in terminal racemes. 



1. A. CanadensiS, Torr. $ Or. Leaves elliptic-obovate, acu- 



minate, silky- villous while young; racemes elongated. 



A. Botryapium. Lindl. $ FL Cestr. ed. 2. p. 294. also, A. ovalis, 



ibid. p. 295. 



CANADIAN AMELANCHIEK. June-berry. Shad-Bush. Service-berry. 



Stem, 8 to 15 or 20 feet high, with rather slender distant branches. Leaves 2 to 3 

 inches long ; petioles half an inch to an inch in length. Racemes about 2 inches 

 long, loose and rather pendulous ; flowers white and showy. Fruit roundish- 

 ovoid, 2 to 3 or 4 lines in diameter, dark purple when mature, esculent. 

 Hob. Rich moist woodlands : frequent. FL April. Fr. June. 



Obs. This shrub has acquired one of its popular names, by reason 

 of its flowering during the season of taking shad, in our rivers. The 

 A. ovalis, DC. $ FL Cestr. ed. 2. is, no doubt, very properly re- 

 duced to a variety. 



ORDER XXXVI. MELASTOMACEAE. 



Barely herbs; leaves opposite, entire, strongly ribbed ; stipules none; flowers in 

 terminal corymbose cymes ; calyx-tube more or less adherent to the ovary ; stamens 

 twice as many as the petals, and inserted with them ; anthers opening by pores at 

 apex ; fruit capsular ; seeds numerous, without albumen. 



RHEX'IA, L. 



[Gr. Khexis, a rupture; a name without apparent application.] 

 Calyx-tube urceolate ; limb 4-cleft. Petals 4, inserted on the calyx. 

 Anthers long, curved, decimate, 1-celled. Style 1. Capsule 4- 

 celled, included in the calyx-tube. Seeds cochleate. Perennial 

 herbs: leaves sessile; flowers cymose. 



1. R. Virfinlca ? L. Stem square, with winged angles ; leaves 



oval-lanceolate, acute, bristly-ciliate. 



VIRGINIA RHEXIA. Deer-grass. Meadow Beauty. 



Stem 9 to 18 inches high, often trichotomously branched above, sparingly hispid. 

 Leaves 1 to 3 inches long, with 3 prominent nerves. Flowers bright purple, rather 

 large and showy; calyx glandular-hispid. 

 Hob. Slaty swamps : not common. Fl. Aug. Fr. Sept. 



ORDER XXXVII. LYTHRA^CEAE. 



Herbs ; leaves mostly opposite, entire ; stipules none ; flowers axillary ; stamens 4 tr 

 14 ; style 1 ; capsule membranaceous, included in the calyx, but free, 1- to 4-celled. 

 Boany-aeeded; seeds without albumen. 



