SAXIFRAGACEAE. 



[VOL. IL 



6. Parnassia asarifolia Vent. 

 Kidney-leaved Grass-of- Par- 

 nassus. (Fig. 1857.) 



Parnassia asarifolia Vent. Jard. Malm. pi. 

 39- 1803. 



Scape io / -2o / high, bearing a clasping 

 nearly orbicular leaf at about the middle. 

 Basal leaves long-petioled, orbicular or 

 much broader than long, rounded, broadly 

 kidney-shaped at the base, often 2'-$' 

 wide; flower about i' broad; calyx-lobes 

 oval, much shorter than the strongly 

 veined elliptic petals, which are rather 

 abruptly narrowed into a claw; staminodia 

 3 in each set, slender, about the length of 

 the stamens. 



In wet places, high mountains of Virginia 

 and North Carolina. July-Sept. 



10. HYDRANGEA L. Sp. PI. 397. 1753. 



Shrubs, or some Asiatic species small trees, with opposite simple petioled leaves and ter- 

 minal corymbose flowers. Stipules none. Exterior flowers of the corymb often apetalous, 

 slender-pedicclled, sterile, but with enlarged and very conspicuous calyx-lobes, or sometimes 

 the whole corymb changed to these sterile flowers; fertile flowers small. Calyx-tube hemi- 

 spheric or obconic, adnate to the ovary, 4-5-lobed. Petals 4-5. Stamens 8-10, inserted on 

 the disk. Filaments filiform. Ovary 2-4-celled; styles 2-4, distinct, or united at the base; 

 ovules oo . Capsule membranous, usually 2-celled, ribbed, many-seeded, dehiscent at the 

 bases of the styles. [Greek, water-vessel, from the shape of the capsule.] 



About 35 species, natives of eastern North Anu-rk-a, eastern Asia and the Himalayas, and South 

 America. Besides the following, another occurs in the southeastern States. 



Leaves glabrous or somewhat pubescent beneath. i. H. arborescens. 



Leaves densely tomentose beneath. 2. H. radiata. 



i. Hydrangea arborescens I,. 

 Wild Hydrangea. (Fig. 1858.) 



H. arborescens I.. Sp. PI. 397. 1753. 

 Hydrangea nilgaris Michx. Fl. Bor. 

 Am. i: 268. 1803. 



A shrub, 4-io high, the young 

 twigs pubescent or glabrate. Peti- 

 oles slender, i'-4' long; leaves ovate, 

 thin, 3 / -6 / long, acute or often acu- 

 minate at the apex, rounded, cordate 

 or rarely broadly cuneate at the base, 

 sharply dentate, green both sides, 

 glabrous above, sometimes pubes- 

 cent beneath; cymes 2 / -5 / broad; 

 marginal sterile flowers usually few 

 or none, but sometimes numerous, 

 or forming the entire inflorescence. 



On rocky stream or river banks, 

 southern New York and New Jersey, 

 very abundant in the valley of the Del- 

 aware, to Iowa, south to Florida and 

 Missouri. Species variable. Ascends 

 to 4200 ft. in North Carolina. June- 

 July, sometimes blooming again in 

 Sept. 



Hydrangea arborescens Kanawhana Millsp. Bull. W. Va. Agric. Exp. Sta. 2: 363. 1891. 

 Leaves pale or somewhat glaucous beneath. West Virginia. 



