40 

 C. DESCRIPTION 



1. GENERAL NONTECHNICAL DESCRIPTION: Spiraea X 

 pyramidata is a low shrub in the Rose Family that 

 may reach four feet in height, but is usually 

 shorter. Oblong-shaped leaves which have coarse 

 teeth towards the tip occur alternately along the 

 stem. Additionally, the leaves and the upper 

 stems are usually crisply short-hairy. The 

 characteristic light pink flowers are crowded into 

 large inflorescences, which are broadly 

 hemispheric in shape. These inflorescences are 

 also crisply short-hairy. 



2. TECHNICAL DESCRIPTION: Rhizomatous, spreading to 

 erect shrub mostly 5-10 (12) dm. tall, usually 

 finely crisp-pubescent above and in the 

 inflorescence, the leaves from glabrous to (more 

 commonly) slightly to moderately crisp-puberulent 

 at least beneath, ovate-lanceolate to oblong- 

 elliptic or oblong-lanceolate, 2-7 (9) cm. long, 

 from subentire to coarsely once or twice serrate 

 chiefly above the middle; panicle usually large, 

 from rounded to obconic, (2) 5-10 cm. broad, and 

 1-2 times as long; calyx usually sparsely hairy 

 without, the triangular lobes scarcely 1 mm. long, 

 reflexed, about equaling the conic-hemispheric 

 hypanthium; petals white but with a distinct 

 pinkish or lavender tinge (at least in the bud) , 

 (1.5) 2-2.5 mm. long; carpels glabrous to somewhat 

 pubescent, 2.5-3 mm. long (Hitchcock et al. 1955- 

 1969) . 



3. LOCAL FIELD CHARACTERS: Spiraea x pyramidata most 

 closely resembles S. betu^Lifolia in stature and 

 inflorescence shape. However, in the former the 

 inflorescence is more hemispheric in shape, and 

 the flowers are distinctly light pink in color, 

 while the latter has a broad flat inflorescence 

 with cream-colored flowers. Spiraea douqlasii is 

 generally a much taller, more freely branching 

 shrub than S. x pyramidata . Spiraea douqlasii is 

 also distinguished by its pink to rose-colored 

 flower petals, which are borne in inflorescences 

 that are several times longer than wide. Finally, 

 Spiraea x pyramidata is primarily associated with 

 disturbed habitats. Line drawings of all three 

 taxa are included on p. 45. 



D. GEOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTION 



1. RANGE: The range of S. x pyramidata extends from 



