500 ARBORETUM ET FRUT1CETUM BRITANNICUM. 



GENUS II. 



FOTHERGI'LL/I L. THE FOTHERGILLA. Lin. Syst. Icosandria Digynia. 



Identification. Lin. fil. Suppl., p. 42. ; Dec. Prod., 4. p. 269. ; Don's Mill., 3. p. 397. 



Derivation. In memory of John Fothergill, M.D., an eminent physician and patron of botany, who 

 introduced many new plants, and cultivated an excellent collection in his grounds, at Ham House, 

 at Stratford-le-bow, in Essex. He was, besides, one of the most charitable men of his time. 



Gen. Char. Calyx campanulate, adhering to the ovarium at the base, some- 

 what truncate, with 5 7 callous subrepand teeth. Petals wanting. Stamens 

 about 25. Styles 2. Capsule adnate to the base of the calyx, 2-lobed, 

 2-celled, 1-seeded. Seed bony. (Don's Mill.) 



Leaves simple, alternate, bistipulate, deciduous ; feather-nerved, clothed 

 with soft starry down. Flowers white, sweet-scented, sessile, anthers 

 yeUow ; in terminal ovate spikes, having a solitary bractea under each 

 flower ; those bracteas at the base of the spike are trifid, and those at its 

 apex are nearly entire. 



Shrubs, deciduous, of which there is only one species, but several varieties. 

 Natives of North America. 



si 1. F. ^LNIFO V LIA L. The Alder-leaved Fothergilla. 



Identification. Lin. fil. Suppl., 257. ; Dec. Prod., 4. p. 269. ; Don's Mill., 3. p. 397. 

 Synonymes. F. Garden/ Michx. Fl. Bor. Amer., 1. p. 313. ; //amam&lis monofca Lin. ex Smith in 

 Rees's Cycl. rol. xrii. 



Spec. Char., fyc. See the generic character. The flowers, which are white 

 and sweet-scented, appear before the leaves ; the latter resembling those of 

 the wych hazel. A low deciduous bush. North America, Virginia to 

 Carolina, in shady woods on the sides of hills. Height 3 ft. to 6 ft. In- 

 troduced in 1765. Flowers white, sweet-scented ; April and May. 



Varieties. The following are very distinct : 



* F. a. 1 



obtusa Sims Bot. Mag. t. 13*1., Pursh Sept. 1 

 major Bot. Cab. t. 1520. ; F. 

 fllnifolia Lin. Jil. Supp. 257. ; 

 and our^g. 910. ; has obovate 

 leaves, downy beneath. 

 F. a. 2 acuta Sims, Pursh Sej)t. 1. 

 p. 335.; F. Gardem' Jacq. Icon, 

 rar. t. 100. (Bot. Cab, t. 

 1507.), has narrow leaves, 

 nearly entire, white from down 

 beneath. 



F. a. 3 major Sims Bot. Mag. 

 t. 1342., Pursh Sept. 1. 

 p. 335. (Bot. Cab., t. 1 520. ; 

 and our jg. 911.) has leaves 

 ovate-oblong, somewhat cor- 

 date at the base, very black and 

 serrated at the apex ; when 

 young, tomentose beneath. 



335.; F. 



In British gardens the fothergillas thrive best in moist sandy peat. They 

 are propagated by seeds, which are sometimes ripened in this country, but 

 are generally received from America. The varieties are increased by layers. 

 The fothergillas are naturally somewhat tender, and though not impatient of 

 cold, yet they are easily injured by the proximity of other trees or bushes, 

 and by excessive drought or perpetual moisture. 



