HYDRANGEA— RIBES 185 



Hydrangea paniculata Siebold & Zuccarini 1835-44 



Hydrangea 



A shrub or small tree 1-9 m. high; leaves opposite or mostly in whorls 

 of 3, elliptic or ovate, narrowed at the base, acuminate at the apex, serrate, 

 pubescent with stiff, scattered hairs above, more densely and finely 

 pubescent on the veins beneath, 5-12 cm. long, 4-6 cm. wide, petioles less 

 than 1 cm. long; cymes terminal, 9-30 cm. long, flowers whitish, the 

 sterile ones later changing to purplish, styles 3, fruit a 3-beaked capsule, 

 about 4 mm. long : paniculata, in a panicle. 



Native of Japan. 



The following variety is perfectly hardy and is the one commonly 

 grown in Minnesota. 



Var. grandiflora of gardeners. 



Almost all the flowers are sterile. The panicles are very large and 

 showy. Blossoms in August and September. 



Ribes Linne 1753 

 (Ribes, the Arabic name) . . 



Low shrubs, often with spines or prickles ; leaves alternate, palmately- 

 lobed, often fascicled; flowers small, white, yellowish-green, yellow or 

 purplish, borne with the leaves or from separate lateral buds, calyx 5- 

 lobed, the tube adherent to the ovary, petals 5, inserted in the throat of 

 the calyx, stamens 5, alternate with the petals, ovary 1 -celled, with 2 

 styles ; fruit a berry, crowned with the remains of the calyx, mostly edible. 



A genus of about 60 species, natives of the north temperate zone and 

 the Andes of South America. In addition to the following about 40 others 

 occur in the western parts of North America. 



Key to the Species 



1. Stems with spines or prickles or both 

 a. Flowers 1-4, rarely 5 (Gooseberries) 



( 1 ) Cultivated shrub, sometimes escaped 



from gardens, spines stout, usually in 



3's R. Grossularia 



(2) Native shrubs, spines mostly slender 



(a) Calyx-lobes shorter than the tube, ber- 



ries mostly bristly R. Cynosbati 



(b) Calyx-lobes as long or longer than the 



tube, berries smooth 



