Shrubs and Vines 



A third genus, supposed to be indigenous only in 

 America, is another small group in the heath family, 

 named Clethra, and known as sweet pepper-bush or 

 white alder. The finest species found in our territory is 

 C. alnifolia (i.e., alder-leaved), whose abundant, dense, 

 erect clusters of showy white, odorous blossoms, contrast- 

 ing finely with the glossy foliage, and often in continu- 

 ous bloom from July to October, make it a most desir- 

 able shrub for any lawn. Its congener, acuminata, 

 said to be widely cultivated in England and on the 

 Continent, is essentially the same except in the shape of 

 the leaf. Other species, less hardy, are only to be seen 

 in conservatories. 



Generally in the heath family the petals are united 

 more or less by their edges, but in Clethra they are 

 entirely separate. In most families the anthers open 

 from end to end to discharge the pollen, but as a rule 

 in the heaths it escapes through a small opening at the 

 apex of the anther ; and in the barberry this aperture is 

 provided with a minute hinged lid that covers the top 

 until it is time to open ! 



A fourth genus of American plants is Shepherdia, of 

 but few species, and chiefly in repute on account of one, 

 S. argentea (silver-leaved), known as Buffalo berry. 

 Seldom does a shrub exhibit such strong contrasts of 

 color ; the foliage is silvery- white on both sides ; in 

 April or May appear the clusters of small but abundant 

 yellow flowers, which ripen into showy scarlet berries. 



The heaths include one more American group of 

 ornamental shrubs Leucothoe, containing six or eight 

 species. The flowers are white, rarely rose-tinted, in 



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