THE WHITE-ALDER FA^^LY. 3.5 



MOUNTAIN SWEET PEPPERBUSH. 



Clcthra aciimindta. 



Flo7ocrs : growing in long, abundant and terminal racemes, either singly or two 

 or three together. Ctf/j'x; five-cleft, with densely pubescent lobes; pJrsistent' 

 Corolla : with five broadly-linear, or oblong petals, squared at the apex. Stumnts • 

 ten ; exserted, on the corolla. Filaments : '>\^\\C^qx, hairy; anthers sagittate, at- 

 tached near the middle. Pistil: one; stigmas, three. CopsuU-s : thrcc-lobcd- 

 pubescent and containing many seeds. Ltunrs : with long, pubescent' petioles ; long 

 oval, or oblong, pointed at the apex and rounded or pointed at the base, sli'giitly 

 one-sided; closely serrate ; thin; bright green and glabrous above, lighter below 

 often pubescent. Tw^''-^: brownish, pubescent. * 



With their intensely green and lusLrotis foliage and slender sj^rays of 

 creamy flowers making the air heavy with a rich scent, there are through 

 our woods hardly lovelier shrubs to be seen than these very pepperbushes. 

 This one often is sometimes arborescent and grows abundantly in places 

 about the outskirts of rhododendron thickets. Rather late in the season it 

 comes into bloom, and then often intermingled with the flowers are the 

 persistent capsules of the preceding year. In North America there are 

 but two species of Clethra known, and so very beautiful are they both that 

 it would seem as though they should be more general in cultivation. 



C. ahufblia, white alder, or sweet pepperbush, covers quite an e.xtended 

 range and grows mostly near the coast. Its obovate leaves are generally 

 smooth on both sides,and in its smooth filaments is found a specific distinc- 

 tion. When in the late season it comes into bloom it is very similar and 

 quite as handsome as its exclusively southern relative. 



THE INDIAN=PIPE FAMILY. 



Moiiotropacccc. 

 Saprophytic herbs with simple^ bracted scapes atul regular, perfect 

 plowers which grow cither singly., or in clusters. 



INDIAN=PIPE. GHOST FLOWER. CORPSE PLANT. 



Mo7i6tropa tiniptora. 



FAMILY COLOUR ODOUR RANGE TIME OF BLOOM 



Indian-pipe. White. Scentless. Florida northxvard. June-Septouho . 



Flozvers: terminal; solitary; nodding, becoming erect in fruit. Calyx: of two 

 to four deciduous sepals. Corotla: of four to si.\ bract-like petals. Stamcm; 



