ROSE FAMILY 



Leaves. Alternate, simple, pinnately veined, one to three 

 inches long, ovate or oval, rounded or wedge-shaped at base, 

 unequally serrate, obtuse or acute at apex. They come out of 

 the bud slightly involute, densely tomentose ; when full grown 

 are dark green above, covered with brown tomentum beneath. 

 Stipules fugitive or wanting. Petioles short. 



Flowers. July, September. Rose or pale purple, perfect ; 

 borne in dense terminal panicles. 



Calyx. -Tube bell-shaped, five-lobed. 



Corolla. Petals five, short-clawed, rose-tinted, obovate, in- 

 serted on the calyx, imbricate in bud. 



Stamens. Numerous, exserted, inserted on the calyx ; fila- 

 ments threadlike. 



Pistil. Ovaries five, superior, united at the base ; style 

 threadlike ; stigma capitate. 



Fruit. Dry, consisting of five one-celled woolly carpels, 

 united at base, encircled by the persistent calyx-cup. Septem- 

 ber. 



The Steeple-bush is not badly named, for the flower- 

 ing panicle is terminal, slender, and pointed. The 

 pink spires bloom from the top downward ; they have 

 what is known as centrifugal inflorescence, the flower- 

 ing impulse proceeds from the centre outward. As a 

 consequence the flower cluster is never perfect; when 

 the topmost flowers are open the lower ones are half- 

 formed buds, and when the lower ones are in bloom 

 the topmost are withered and brown. 



The Spircea flowers, as a rule, secrete little if any 

 nectar, but they yield much pollen and are eagerly 

 sought by the bees. 



This Spiraea takes kindly to cultivation and will 

 thrive in any ordinary position. It is especially valu- 

 able because of its late flowering. 



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