3160 



SHORTIA 



SIBIR^A 



will be found under Actinolepis. Of the little family 

 Diapensiacese, with its 6 genera and 9 species, Shortia 

 galacifolia is historically the most interesting. Michaux 

 collected the plant in 1788 in the high mountains of 

 Carolina, but as his specimen was in fr. rather than in 

 fl., Richard, the author of Michaux's Flora Boreali- 

 Americana, did not describe it. Asa Gray examined 

 Michaux's specimen, preserved in Paris, in 1839, and 

 afterward founded the genus Shortia on it. Great 

 search was made for the plant in the mountains of 

 Carolina, but it was not rediscovered until 1877. The 

 history of the efforts to find the plant is one of the 

 most interesting chapters in American botany. For 

 historical sketch, see Sargent, Garden and Forest, vol. 

 1, p. 506 (1888). Torrey & Gray founded the genus 

 Shortia in 1842. In 1843, Siebold & Zuccarini founded 

 the genus Schizocodon, from Japan. To this genus 

 Maximowicz added a second Japanese species, S. uni- 

 florus; the fls. of this plant, as of Shortia, were unknown 

 when the plant was first recognized. It transpires, 

 however, that S. uniflorus is really a Shortia, thus add- 

 ing another instance to the growing list of bitypic 

 genera that are endemic to Japan and E. N. Amer. 



Shortia, like most plants considered rare, is really not 

 so rare as local, though the few stations where it is 



' 3613. Shortia galacifolia. 



found abundantly do not seem to present special con- 

 ditions not to be found elsewhere, and it is hardly under- 

 stood why it should, in common with certain other 

 plants, have remained strictly local, in an indigenous 

 state. For the successful culture of shortia, humus and 

 leaf-mold seem to be absolutely required, and it should 

 either be planted where these conditions are natural or 

 else be constantly supplied with this food. This sug- 

 gestion, if carried out with many plants, such as galax, 

 pyrola, chimaphila, and probably Epigsea repens, will 

 ensure success, where if ordinary garden treatment only 

 is given the entire disappearance of the plants may be 

 expected in a season or two. Semi-double and pink- 

 flowering plants are not rarely found, and it seems likely 

 that cultivation may bring out several worthy varie- 

 ties. In England shortia is often grown successfully as 

 a pot-plant, and is far more appreciated than in 

 America. It is difficult to procure seed, as the flowering- 

 stem usually withers away before maturing, though 

 shortia is readily propagated by division and runners. 

 It is a shade-loving plant and is a choice addition to the 

 ericaceous bed, where it will thrive under rhododen- 

 drons and kalmias. (Harlan P. Kelsey.) 



galacifdlia, Torr. & Gray (Sherwoodia galacifolia, 

 House). Fig. 3613. Lvs. all radical, long-petioled, the 

 blades orbicular or broadly ovate-orbicular, often 

 slightly cordate, at the apex obtuse or even retuse, the 

 margin repand-serrate : peduncles slender, 3-8 in. tall, 



1-fld., bracted near the top: fl. inclined or nodding, 

 white, 1 in. across, the obtuse lobes undulate. Moun- 

 tains of N. C. B.M. 7082. G.C. II. 15:596; III. 

 5:397; 17:453. G. 34:521; 36:121; 37:309. Gn. 

 38:204; 67, p. 285; 71, p. 7; 73, p. 189. J.H. III. 

 30:299; 58:373. G.M. 34:353. G.F. 1:509 (adapted 

 in Fig. 3613). Gn.W. 7:605; 20:295. A.G. 12:287. 

 Mn. 6, p. 83. C.L.A. 17:414. F.S.R. 3:8. A very 

 attractive plant with the look of a pyrola; very local. 

 Var. rosea, Hort., has rose-colored fls. 



unifldra, Maxim. (Sherwobdia uniflbra, House). Very 

 like S. galacifolia: lys. cordate, broader than long and 

 deeper toothed, sinuate-toothed in S. uniflora and 

 only repand-toothed in S. galacifolia. Japan. B.M. 8166. 

 G.C. III. 31:337; 43:220, 221. G. 36:803. Gn. 67, p. 

 192; 71, p. 310; 72, p. 202. F.S.R. 3, p. 247. Offered 

 by importers of Japanese plants, but little known horti- 

 culturally. Var. grandifldra, Hort., has larger fls. than 

 the type, being as much as 1% in. across. G. 32:253. 

 Gn. 74, p. 164; 78, p. 177. G.M. 53:205. L. H. B. 



SHRUBBERY: Planting, Vol. V. 

 SHfjRIA: Scheeria. 



SIBBALDIA (named for Robert Sibbald, Scotch 

 naturalist). Rosacese. Low and depressed perennials, 

 hardy and rare in cult., sometimes used in alpine-gar- 

 dening: Ivs. 3-foliate, alternate; stipules prominent: 

 fls. cymose, yellow, small; calyx flattish, 5-cleft and 

 with 5 bractlets; petals 5, linear-oblong, minute; sta- 

 mens 5, alternate with the petals: achenes 5-10. 

 About 5 species, natives of the colder parts of the 

 North Temperate Zone. Reduced by Bentham and 

 Hooker to a section of Potentilla, but separated by 

 most authorities. 



procumbens, Linn. Lfts. 3, wedge-shaped, 3-toothed 

 at the apex: petals yellow. Ranges from the arctic 

 regions to the summits of the White Mts. and in the 

 Rockies comes as far south as Utah. It is also found in 

 arctic and alpine Eu. and Asia. B.B. 2:217. This 

 plant is recommended by some persons, but is not 

 known to be advertised for sale in Amer. 



F. TRACY HUBBARD.J 



SEBIR^A (named for the habitat of the plant, 

 Siberia). Rosacese, subfam. Spirseese. Two shrubs from 

 N. E. Asia and W. China closely allied to Spiraea, but 

 differing in the narrow entire Ivs., the polygamo- 

 dioocious fls. disposed in panicled racemes and in the 

 2-seeded carpels connate at the base. S. lasvigata is a 

 deciduous upright shrub with rather stout branches, 

 with alternate, entire, generally oblong Ivs. and with 

 small short-stalked white fls. in spike-like racemes 

 crowded into terminal panicles. It possesses no particu- 

 lar ornamental qualities and is rarely cult.: hardy N. 

 The hardiness of the recently intro. S. tomentosa 

 has not been sufficiently tested. Prop, is by seeds 

 sown in spring or by layers. S. laevigata, Maxim. (S. 

 altaiensis, Schneid. Spirsea lasvigata, Linn.). Shrub, 5 

 ft. high, with stout upright branches: lys. cuneate- 

 oblong, bluish green, glabrous, 1J^-3J^ in. long: fls. 

 polygamous, greenish white, in terminal panicles, 3-5 

 in. long, those of the staminate plant somewhat showier. 

 May. Siberia. G.O.H. 89. Var. angustata, Rehd. Lvs. 

 narrow-lanceolate, 1-4 in. long and rarely more than 

 J/2in. broad: infl. pubescent. W. China. Var. croatica, 

 Schneid., from S. E. Eu., is similar to the preceding 

 variety, but the Ivs. are obtuse and the infl. not pubes- 

 cent. It is not yet intro. S. tomentdsa, Diels. Low 

 shrub, to 2 ft.: Ivs. oblong-obovate to oblanceolate, 

 acutish and mucronulate, with silky silvery white 

 tomentum beneath while young, glabrous above, 2-3 

 in. long: fls. greenish yellow in dense panicles about 2 

 in. long. S. W. China. ALFRED REHDER. 



