ST AUNTONI A STEPHANA NDR A 551 



best. It is admirably adapted for the south-western counties, but 

 in more northern localities is best suited in a winter garden or cool 

 conservatory. 



STEPHANANDRA. ROSACES. 



A small Asiatic genus of deciduous shrubs, comprised, perhaps, in the 

 two species here described. They are closely allied to Spiraea, but have 

 small, dull white, or greenish flowers ; sepals and petals five. Leaves 

 alternate. Fruit a dry capsule enclosed by the persistent sepals. They 

 like a moist, loamy soil, and are easily propagated by cuttings or by 

 division of the plants ; S. flexuosa also by root-cuttings put in heat in 

 March. 



S. FLEXUOSA, Siebold. 



(S. incisa, Zabel.) 



A deciduous shrub of graceful habit, with smooth, wiry, zigzag branches, 

 forming a dense, rounded bush ultimately 4 to 8 ft. high, sending up sucker 

 growths freely from the base. Leaves triangular in the main, truncate or 

 heart-shaped at the base, tapering to a slender apex; i to 3 ins. long, some- 

 what less in width at the base; the' margins cut into deep lobes, the lobes 

 toothed; stipules linear, toothed, ^ in. long. Flowers greenish white, i in. 

 wide, crowded on panicles I to 3 ins. long and terminating short side-twigs 

 from the previous year's shoots; stamens ten. 



Native of Japan and Corea ; introduced to Kew, in 1872, by way of 

 St Petersburg. It has proved quite hardy, and is now generally cultivated 

 for the beauty of its handsomely cut, fern-like foliage, and for the brown of 

 its naked stems and branches in winter. The finest specimen I have seen 

 is in Lord Annesley's garden at Castlewellan, which a few years ago was 

 8 ft. high and more in diameter an exceedingly elegant bush. The flowers 

 appear in June, but have little beauty. 



S. TANAK^:, Franchet. 



(Bot. Mag., t. 7593.) 



A deciduous shrub of twiggy habit, up to 6 ft. or perhaps more high, with 

 smooth, slender branches. Leaves broadly ovate or triangular, 2 to 5 ins* 

 long and from two-thirds to quite as much wide; the point long and slender, 

 the base rounded or heart-shaped; the margins double-toothed, and frequently 

 with one or two pairs of angular lobes more or less developed near the base; 

 veins hairy when quite young, becoming smooth ; stipules heart-shaped, 

 toothed, \ in. long. Flowers yellowish white, produced in June and July in 

 a lax, branching panicle 2 to 4 ins. long; each flower \ in. across on a stalk 

 about as long; stamens twenty. 



Native of Japan; introduced to Kew in 1893. It differs from S. flexuosa 

 in the larger, less deeply cut leaves (which turn an orange colour in 

 autumn), in the broader stipules, the more numerous stamens, and in the 

 longer, more slender, and less densely flowered panicles. The flowers 

 become a purer white under sunnier skies than ours. The species is 

 hardier than S. flexuosa but not, I think, so attractive, although its stems 

 are brighter brown. 



