SPIRA'A 541 



pyramidal and much branched, the lower branches 3 or 4 ins. long and leafy. 

 Some of the finer panicles measure <S ins. long by 6 ins. wide. 



Var. MACROTHYRSA, Zabet (S. californica, Hort.}. Leaves broadly 

 obovate, about 2 ins. long, often more than half as wide, felted beneath. 

 Panicles dense, usually about 5 to 7 ins. high, nearly half as wide at the base. 



Var. TRIUMPHANS. Leaves oval-lanceolate, i^ to 2\ ins. long, \ to f in. 

 wide, toothed nearly to the base, green beneath and slightly downy, especially 

 .n the veins. Panicles broadly pyramidal, branching at the base, up to 

 8 ins. high and 4 ins. wide. Flowers bright purplish rose. This, perhaps 

 the finest of all the Menziesii group, makes a splendid display from mid-July 

 onwards. (Fig. p. 540.) 



S. MiLLEFOLIUM, Torrey. 



(Bot. Mag., t. 7810 ; Chamaebatiaria Millefolium, Maximowicz.') 



A shrub 3 to 5 ft. high, the erect branches covered with glandular down, 

 sticky when young, and having a balsamic odour. Leaves 2 to 3^ ins. long, 

 \ to i in. wide; doubly pinnate and very like those of the common milfoil, 

 the ultimate subdivisions T V in. long, narrowly oblong, downy ; common 

 stalk slightly winged. Flowers white, \ to \ in. diameter, produced in erect, 

 terminal branching panicles, 3 to 5 ins. high; flower-stalks and calyx densely 

 covered with tufted hairs; petals roundish, surrounding a cluster of yellow 

 stamens. Flowers in July. 



Native of Western N. America; first discovered in 1853 by Dr Bigelow; 

 introduced to Kew in 1891. It occurs up to 10,000 ft. altitude in California, 

 and is quite hardy in the south of England, but likes a well-drained soil and 

 as sunny a position as possible. The plant has a pungent aromatic odour. 

 Its much divided foliage makes it quite distinct from any other Spiraea ; 

 it has indeed been placed in a genus by itself under the name given as a 

 synonym above. 



S. MOLLIFOLIA, Rehder. 



A deciduous shrub up to 6 ft. high, with arching branches ; young shoots 

 very hairy at first, becoming purple, nearly smooth and very distinctly angled 

 the second year ; buds up to \ in. long, brownish purple. Leaves oval, oblong 

 or obovate, tapered at both ends, usually more abruptly so at the apex, mostly 

 entire, sometimes three-toothed at the apex ; \ to f in. long, half as wide ; 

 silky all over. Flowe^ white, \ in. diameter, borne during June and July in 

 corymbs about I in. across, terminating short leafy twigs that spring from the 

 growths of the previous year ; stamens twenty. 



Native of W. Szechuen, China ; discovered by Wilson in 1904 ; introduced 

 in 1909. As it occurs up to 14,000 ft. in a wild state it is likely to be very 

 hardy. It is quite distinct from all other cultivated Spiraeas in the com- 

 bination of its silky leaves, and long, slender winter buds. 



S. PRUNIFOLIA, Siebold. 



This species is scarcely known in cultivation except by the double-flowered 

 form, to which the following description refers : A shrub 4 to 6 ft. high, the 

 branches gracefully arching and forming a dense bush as much in diameter 

 as it is high; young shoots downy. Leaves ovate, I to if ins. long, to in. 

 wide ; downy beneath (especially when young), finely and evenly toothed ; 

 stalk \ in. or less long. Flowers produced during late April and May in 

 fascicles three to six together, each flower on a smooth, slender stalk, 

 \ to | in. long; petals pure white and so numerous as to form a flower like 

 a small "bachelor's button/ -J, in. across. 



