ORDER 61. SAXIFRAGACR/E. 369 



acute at each end, unequally serrate ; fls. in unilateral cymous racemes. A 

 hardy plant of little beauty, in moist situations, Can. and U. S. St. 10 to 16' 

 high, with a few short branches. Lvs. 2 to 3' by to 1', membranous, smooth, 

 sharply and unequally serrate. Rae. several, recurved at first, at length spread- 

 ing, with the flowers arranged on their upper side, constituting a corymbous, 

 scentless, pale, yellowish green cyme. Petals generally wanting. JL Sept 



ORDER LXI. SAXIFRAGACEJE. SAXIFRAGES. 



Herbs or shrubs. Lvs. alternate or opposite, sometimes stipulate. Sepals 4 or 5, 

 cohering more or less, and partly or wholly adherent Petals as many as the sepals, 

 inserted between the lobes of the calyx. Stamens as matiy as the petals and al- 

 ternate with them, or 2 to 10 times as many. Ovary inferior, usually of 2 carpels, 

 cohering at base, distinct and divergent above. Fruit generally capsular, 1 to 2- 

 celled. Seeds small, many, albuminous. (Figs. 270, 298, 310, 393.) 



Genera 42, species 640, subdivided into four groups as given below. They are distributed in 

 both hemispheres as follows. The Saxifrageai belong to the northern and alpine regions. The 

 Escalloniee to the alpine regions of S. America. The Philadelpbese to the north Temperate 

 Zone, and the Cunonieae to the E. Indies, Australia and 8. America. Many are cultivated for 

 their great beauty. Their properties are generally astringent. 



SUBORDERS AND GENERA, 



L SAXIFRAGES, Herbs. Stipules none or adnate. Petals imbricate, rarely convolute in 

 the bud. Calyx free or partly adherent, (a) 



a Petals wanting. Ovary adherent, 1-celled. Stamens 10 CHRYSOSPLENICM. 1 



a" Petals pinnatifid. Ovary half adherent, 1-celled. Stamens 5 or 10 MITELLA. 2 



a Petals entire. Stamens 10. Ovary 1-celled, nearly free TIARELLA. 3 



Ovary 2-celled. Fls. perfect Lvs. simple... SAXIFRAGA. 4 

 Ovary 2-celled. Fls. polygamous. Lvs. comp... ASTILBE. 5 



Stamens 5. Ovary 2-celled, adherent. Seed rough BOTKIXIA. 6 



Ovary 2-ce!led, free. Seed wing-margined.. SCLLIVANTIA. 7 



Ovary 1-celled. Styles and carpels 2 HEI-CHERA. 8 



Styles and carpels 3 LEPCROPETALON. 9 



II. ESCALLOXIE.E. Shrub* with. alUrnaU Its., no stipules and a valvate corolla bud. (b) 



b Calyx free from the 2-celled ovary. Stamens 5. Capsule 00 -seeded I TEA. 10 



b Calyx adherent to the ovary. Stam. 5. Ber. 00 -seeded. (From S. Am.)..EscALLONiA. 11 

 III. HYDRANGEA. Shrubs with opposite, simple leuves and no stipules, (c) 



C Corolla valvate in the bud. Cymes radiate. Shrub erect HYDRANGEA. 12 



Cymes naked. Shrub climbing DECCMARIA. 18 



C Corolla convolute in the bud. Stamens 20 to 40. Petals 4 PHILADELPHIA 14 



Stamens 10. Petals 5. (Asiatic) DECTZIA. 15 



1. CHRYSOSPLE'NIUM, Tourn. WATER CARPET. (Gr. Xf>b^ 

 gold, a:r/l?/v, the spleen ; on account of the medicinal qualities.) Calyx 

 adnate to the ovary, 4 to 5-lobed, more or less colored inside ; corolla 

 0; stamens 8 to 10, superior, short ; styles 2 ; capsule obcordate, com- 

 pressed, 1-celled, 2-valved, many -seeded. Sni^ "aquatic herbs. 



C. Americanum Schw. Lvs. opposite, roundish, %ightly crenate, tapering to 

 the petiole. A small plant, in springs and streams, spreading upon the muddy 

 surface. St. square, 3 to 6' long, divided in a dichotomous manner at top. Lvs. 

 opposite, V in length, smooth. Calyx 4-cleft, greenish-yellow, with purple lines. 

 Corolla 0, "stamens 8, very short, with orange-colored anthers, which are the only 

 conspicuous part of the flower. The terminal flower is sometimes decandrous. 

 Apr., May. 



2. MITEL'LA, Tourn. MITRE-WORT. (ALat. diminutive from mitra, 

 a mitre. Seer TIARELLA.) Calyx 5-cleft, campanulate, adherent to the 

 base of the ovary ; petals 5, -pectinately pinnatifid, inserted on the 

 throat of the calyx ; stamens 5 or 10, included ; styles 2, short ; cap- 

 sule 2 beaked, 1-celled, with two equal valves. U Fls. small, in a slen- 

 der raceme or spike. x 



24 



