542 SPIRJEA 



of China, and much cultivated there; it was found by Wilson in 

 its double-flowered state in W. Hupeh. This form was originally introduced 

 from Japan by Dr Siebold about 1845. In the Gardeners" Chronicle for 

 February 20, 1847, an advertisement sets forth that "the stock of this 

 magnificent novelty bought at Dr Siebold's sale, is now in the possession of 

 Louis van Houtte, florist at Ghent," and plants to be delivered the following 

 April are offered at one guinea each. It is still one of the most beautiful of 

 hardy shrubs, producing during the summer slender shoots, i to 2 ft. long which, 

 the following May, are wreathed from end to end with blossom. For the 

 needs of most gardens it can be increased sufficiently quickly by taking off 

 the side suckers from old plants and potting them, then placing them in a 

 mild bottom heat ; but if such conveniences are not available they can be 

 planted in the open ground a slower, less certain process. 



The single-flowered plant is in cultivation, and is distinguished as 

 S. prunifolia "flore simplex." In my experience it is an absolutely worthless 

 shrub because of its extraordinary sterility. A plant was obtained from the 

 Continent for Kew in 1887, but although I have known this and others 

 raised from it for twenty years, I have never yet seen it in flower. But this, 

 of course, is more likely to be an individual than a racial characteristic, seeing 

 the floriferousness of the double-flowered form. 



S. SALICIFOLIA, Linnaus. BRIDEWORT. 



A shrub 3 to 6 ft. high, with running roots and forming ultimately a dense 

 thicket of erect stems, which are soon quite smooth. Leaves lanceolate or 

 narrowly oval, but sometimes broadest above the middle; i^ to 3 ins. long, 

 ^ to i in. wide ; pointed, sharply and often doubly toothed, smooth and 

 green on both surfaces. Flowers rose-tinted white, crowded on erect, ter- 

 minal, slightly downy panicles about 4 ins. highland 2 ins. wide at the base. 



This, which may be considered the typical form, is a native of E. F.urope, 

 Asiatic Russia to Japan. It is not a native of Britain, but is naturalised in 

 several places, notably in some parts of N. Wales. When once it obtains a 

 footing, it appears to be able to hold its own against any other vegetation, 

 spreading by its creeping suckers and forming an almost impassable thicket. 

 Left to itself in this way, its inflorescences become poor; but cultivated in 

 good garden soil and occasionally divided, it makes a handsome show in 

 June and July. 



Var. LATIFOLIA, Aiton (S. latifolia, Borkhausej). Stems reddish or 

 purplish brown; leaves oval or ovate, unequally and rather coarsely toothed, 

 | to if ins. wide; panicles large, conical, not downy, flowers white or blush- 

 coloured. Eastern N. America from Newfoundland to Virginia, commonly 

 known there as " Meadow-sweet." 



Var. PANICULATA, Alton (S. alba, Durot).This is the finest form of 

 S. salicifolia. Leaves narrowly oval or ovate ; inflorescence 8 to 12 ins. 

 long, as much wide, much branched, slightly downy. Flowers white or 

 rosy-tinted. This Spiraea is sometimes regarded as a distinct species 

 (S. alba), and the preceding one (latifolia) as its variety. They differ from 

 salicifolia in the much larger, compound panicles of pyramidal rather than 

 cylindrical shape. Native of N. America, with a more western distribution 

 than var. latifolia. 



S. SANSSOUCIANA, Koch. 



(S. Nobleana, Hooker, Bot. Mag., t. 5169.) 



A shrub 4 or 5 ft. high, with erect, brown stems covered with a close 

 grey felt. Leaves oblong to narrowly oval, 2 to 4 ins. long, f to ij ins. wide; 



