Spircea.] ICOSANDRIA — PENTAGYNIA. 197 



Mountainous parts of Cornwall and in Staffordshire, rare. Fl. May. 

 Tj . — Habit of the following ; but differing in its inflorescence and the 

 large size of \ts fruit, which resembles a small pear, an inch long. 



5. P. aucupdria, Gsertn.' (^Quicken-tree, Mountain-ash, or 

 Rowan-tree~) ; leaves pinnated glabrous, leaflets serrated, flowers 

 corymbose, fruit (small) globose. Hook. Scot. i. p. 151. — Sorbus, 

 E, Bot. t. 387. 



jMoiintainous woods and hedges, frequent, especially in the Highlands 

 of Scotland, 



" Whore clings the Rowan to the rock, 

 And through the foliage shows his head 

 With narrow leaves and berries red." 



FL May, June. T^ . — The wood is valued for its compactness, and the 

 tree is often planted near houses and villages in the Highlands, to pro- 

 tect them from evil spirits. The berries are not unfrequently eaten. 



6. P. Aria, Sm. (ivhite Beam-tree); leaves ovate cut and ser- 

 rated white and downy beneath, flowers corymbose, fruit glo- 

 bose. E. Bot. t. 1858. — Cratcegus, L. — ^. pinnatijida ; leaves 

 pinnatiHd and even pinnated. P. pinnatijida, Ehrh. — E. Bot. 

 t. 2331. — Sorhus hybrida, L. 



Mountainous woods, especially in a chalk or limestone country ; 

 England and Scotland. Cunnamara and Killarney, Ireland. /3. Isle of 

 Arran, and near Dartford. FL June. T? • Fruit red. 



6. Spir ea. Linn. Spiraea, Dropwort or Meadow-sweet. 



1. S.* salicifdlia, L. (willow -leaved Spircea) ; shrubby, leaves 

 elliptico-lanceolate serrated glabrous, racemes terminal com- 

 pound. E. Bot. t. 1468. 



Moist woods in several parts of the north of England, and Scotland. 

 Fl. July. T^ . — A small branching shrub. Flowers rose-coloured, in 

 crowded racemes. 



2. S. Filipendula, L. (^common Dropwort'); herbaceous, leaves 

 interruptedly pinnated, all the leaflets uniform deeply cut and 

 serrated, flowers paniculato-cymose. E. Bot. t. 284. 



Dry pastures, especially in a chalky or gravelly soil ; rare in Scotland. 

 Fl. July. "H . — Root with rather long tubers. Stem a foot high, panicled 

 above. Leaflets small, lanceolate, alternate ones not half their size. 

 Stipules united, serrated. Flowers yellowish-white, tipped with rose- 

 colour. 



3. S. Ulmdria, L. (3Ieadow-siveet, Queen of the Meadows); 

 herbaceous, leaves interruptedly pinnated serrated downy 

 beneath, terminal leaflet largest and lobed, flowers in compound 

 (and as it were proliferous) cymes. E. Bot. t. 960. 



Meadows, and banks of ponds and ditches, frequent. Fl. July. If , — 

 Stems 3 — 4 feet high, branched upward. Leaflets ovate, acuminate, 

 very large, especially the terminal (generally^ 3-lobed one ; alternate 

 ones minute. Flowers yellowish-white, numerous, sweet-scented. 



