CLE 



C L I 



terminating in long loose spikes. It is a native 

 of Jamaica, flowering in June and the following 

 month. 



There are other species in this genus that may 

 be cultivated. 



Culture. — These plants, which are of the an- 

 nual sort, are raised by seeds, which should be 

 sown iu pots of light earth in the early spring, 

 being plunged in a moderate hot-bed ; and when 

 the plants are of a few inches growth they should 

 be removed into separate pots, and re-plunged 

 in the hot-bed. When they have attained suf- 

 ficient growth, they should either be removed to 

 the stove or be placed in the green-house, or 

 even in the open air, during the hot summer 

 months while they arc in flower; in any of 

 which they produce a good effect. 



CLETHRA, a genus containing a plant of the 

 hardy deciduous flowering shrubby kind. 



It belongs to the class and order Decandria 

 Monogynia, and ranks in the natural order of 

 Bicornes. 



The characters are: that the calyx is a one- 

 leafed, five-parted perianthium: leaflets ovate, 

 concave, erect, permanent: the corolla has live 

 petals, oblong, broader on the outside, from 

 erect spreading, a little longer than the calyx; 

 the upper one broadest : the stamina consist of 

 ten subulate filaments, the length of the corolla: 

 anthers oblong-erect, gaping at the top: the 

 pistillum a roundish germ: style filiform, erect, 

 permanent, increasing : stigma trifid : the peri- 

 carpium is a roundish capsule, involved in the 

 calyx, three-celled, three-valved: the seeds are 

 very many, angular. 



The only species is C. alnifulia, Alder-leaved 

 Clethra. 



In this the roots spread far on every side, and 

 send up many stems, from eight or ten to four- 

 teen feet high, which are covered with a grayish 

 bark, and divide into small round alternate 

 branches. The leaves are about three inches 

 long, and an inch and quarter broad in the mid- 

 dle; they are of a deep green on their upper 

 side, and of a whitish green underneath, alter- 

 nate, and on very short petioles. The flowers 

 are on loose spikes from four or five inches to a 

 span long ; the petals are white. They appear 

 in July, and, when the season is mild, some 

 spikes are produced in October. It is a native of 

 North America. 



Culture. — This is propagated either by seeds, 

 layers, or suckers. 



In the first mode the seeds, procured from 

 America, should be sown in pots of light earth, 

 and removed into the shade during summer, and 



shelter in winter, as sometimes the plants do 

 not come up till the second spring after they 

 have been sown. 



The layers should be made from the young 

 shoots in autumn, and water given them t'.ie fol- 

 lowing summer; and in the autumn after, or 

 when well rooted, they should be taken off and 

 planted out in separate pots, or in places where 

 they are to remain. 



The suckers from the roots may be removed in 

 the autumn or early spring months, fibres being 

 preserved to them as much as possible, being 

 planted out in pots or other places where they 

 are to remain. 



It is a very ornamental shrub, particularly 

 during the time of its bloom, but should have a 

 rather moist soil. 



CLIFFORTIA, a genus furnishing plants of 

 the evergreen exotic shrubby kind for the green- 

 house. 



It belongs to the class and order Dioecia Po- 

 lyandria, and ranks in the natural order of Tri- 



COCCCB. 



The characters are: that in the male the calyx 

 is a three-leaved perianthium : leaflets ovate, 

 acute, coriaceous, spreading, deciduous : there 

 is no corolla : the stamina have about thirty 

 capillary erect filaments, the length of the calyx : 

 anthers twin, oblong, obtuse, erect, compressed. 

 In the female the calyx is a three-leaved peri- 

 anthium, equal, erect, superior, permanent: 

 leaflets acute, lanceolate: there is no corolla: 

 the pistillum is an oblong, inferior germ: styles 

 two, filiform, long, plumose: the stigmas are 

 simple : the pericarpium is an oblong capsule, 

 nearly columnar, two-celled, crowned with the 

 calyx : the seeds solitary, nearly columnar, li- 

 near. 



The species principally cultivated are : 1 . C. 

 Uicifolia, Ilix-leaved Cliffortia; 2. C. trifoli- 

 ata, Three-leaved Cliffortia. 



The first is a shrub with alternate declining 

 branches, clothed with truncated membranes and 

 stipules. The leaves are alternate, sheathing 

 very shortly at the base, roundish, having seven 

 or nine teeth terminated with spines, spreading, 

 recurved at the end, flat, cartilaginous about the 

 edge, nerved, smooth, biennial, horizontally de- 

 ciduous, leaving a reddish permanent sheath. 

 The flowers are lateral, axillary, sessile, solitary, 

 of a greenish yellow colour. 



The second species has slender, woody, pro- 

 cumbent stems, silky with hairs, sending out 

 slender branches on every side. The leaves are 

 sessile, hairy, the middie leaflet much broader 

 than the two side ones, which are lanceolate. 

 2N 



