FORSYTHIA 113 



Forsythia V a h 1 1805 

 (Named for William Forsyth, an English horticulturist) 



Shrubs, with opposite- simple or ternate serrate leaves ; flowers single 

 or in groups of 2-3 along the branches, appearing before the leaves, per- 

 fect; sepals 4, united, petals 4, united toward the base, stamens 2, in- 

 cluded; fruit a 2-celled capsule with winged seeds. 



Propagated by seeds,' and readily grown from both hardwood and 

 greenwood cuttings. 



A genus of 3 species, 2 native of China, and 1 of southeastern Europe. 



Key to the Species 



1. Corolla golden yellow, with orange yellow 



stripes within; leaves more or less ovate F. suspensa. 



2. Corolla rather greenish yellow, not striped 



within; leaves lanceolate F. viridissima 



Forsythia suspensa V a h 1 1805 



Shrub, 2-8 ft. high, the slender branches often bent to the ground 

 and rooting; leaves oblong-ovate to broadly ovate, margin toothed, tip 

 acute, base tapering, smooth, 6-12 cm. long, 3-6 cm. wide, petioles 2 cm. 

 long; flowers 1-3, golden yellow, with orange yellow stripes in the corolla 

 tube, 2-3 cm. long, calyx about the length of the corolla tube; capsule 

 ovate, 2-3 cm. long : suspensa, suspended, probably in reference to 

 the rooting branches. 



Occasionally cultivated, though not entirely hardy; in protected situ- 

 ations it is one of the most attractive of the early flowering shrubs ; native 

 of China. The variety fortunei is more upright with leaves often of 

 three leaflets. 



Forsythia viridissima L i n d 1 e y 1846 



Shrub, 3-10 ft. high; leaves lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, or some- 

 what spatulate, margin toothed above the middle, tip acute or rounded, 

 base tapering, smooth and dark green, 6-15 cm. long, petioles 2-3 cm 

 long; flowers 1-3, bright yellow or greenish yellow, 2-3 cm. long, calyx 

 about half as long as corolla tube ; capsule 2-3 cm. long : viridissima, 

 very green, in reference to the leaves. 



Rarely cultivated; less desirable than the preceding; native of China. 



