HYDRANGEA. LXV. SAXIFRAGACEuE. 281 



stolons creeping. Common in rocky woods Can. to Penn., and generally asso- 

 ciated with Miiella dipkylla, which plant, in its general aspect, it much resem- 

 bles. The scape arises from a creeping root-stock about 10' high, often bear- 

 ing a leaf. Leaves 2 3' long, -f- as wide, hairy, and on hairy petioles 4 6' 

 long. Racemes ly- 2' long ; fls. wholly white, with minute bracts. May, Jn. 



6. CHRYSOSPLENIUM. Tourn. 



Gr. xpvaos, gold, 0-7TA//V, the spleen ; on account of the medicinal qualities. 



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

 corolla ; stamens 8 10, superior, short ; styles 2 ; capsule obcor- 

 date, 'compressed, 1 -celled, 2-valved, many-seeded. Small, aquatic 

 herbs. 



C. AMERICANUM. Schw. (C. oppositifolium. Michx.} Watei -carpet. 



Lvs. opposite, roundish, slightly crenate, tapering to the petiole. A small 

 plant, in springs and streams, spreading upon the muddy surface. Stem square, 

 3 6 inches long, divided in a dichotomous manner at top. Leaves opposite, 

 i' in length, smooth. Calyx 4-cleft, greenish-yellow, with purple lines. Corol- 

 la 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. 



SUBORDER 2. E SCALdjONIEJE. 

 7. ITEA. 



Gr. name for the willow ; from a resemblance of foliage. 



Calyx small, with 5, subulate segments ; petals 5, lance-linear, in- 

 flexed at the apex, inserted on the calyx ; stamens 5, inserted into 

 the calyx ; styles united ; capsule 2-celled, 2-furrowed, 8 12-seeded. 

 A shrub with alternate, simple leaves, and a simple, spicate, terminal 

 raceme of white Jlowers. 



I. VIRGINICA. 



Margins of swamps and sluggish streams, N. J. and Penn. to Flor. 

 Shrub about Of high. Leaves 1 3' long, oval-acuminate, serrulate, on short 

 petioles. Capsule oblong, acuminate with die style, its two carpels s^arating 

 in maturity. May, Jn. 



SUBORDER. 3. H YDRAXGEJE. 



Petals valvate. Capsules 2-celled. Leaves opposite, exstipulate. SHRUBS 

 8. HYDRANGEA. 



Or/. v$wp, water, ayytov, a vessel ; because the cultivated species require so copious a supply of water 



Marginal flowers commonly sterile, with a broad, rotate. 4 5-cleft, 

 colored calyx, and with neither petals, stamens nor styles. Fertile fl. 

 Calyx tube hemispherical, adherent to the ovary, limb 4 5-toothed, 

 persistent ; petals ovate, sessile ; stamens twice as many as the petals ; 

 capsule 2-beaked, opening by a foramen between the beaks ; seeds 

 numerous. Shrubs with opposite leaves. Fls. cy?nose, generally radiant. 



1. H. ARBORESCENS. (H. vulgaris. Michx.} Common Hydrangea. 



Lis. ovate, obtuse or cordate at base, acuminate, serrate-dentate, nearly 

 smooth ; fls. in fastigiate cymes. An elegant shrub, native in the Middle and 

 Western States! cultivated in the Northern, attaining the height of 5 or 6f on 

 its native shady banks. Fertile flowers small, white, becoming roseate, very 

 numerous. The cultivated varieties have either the marginal flowers radiate 

 or all sterile and radiate, f 



2. H. QUERCIFOLIA. Bartram. Oak-leaved, Hydrangea. Lvs. deeply sinnato- 

 lobed, dentate, tomentose beneath ; cymes paniculate, radiant, the sterile llmrers 

 very large and numerous. A beautiful shrub, native of Flor., not uncommon 



