KEY TO THE SPECIES OF ABELIA 



239 



the fruit is a dry leatliery berry. 

 Only one species, Ever-flower- 

 ing Abelia — Abelia grandifldra, 

 — can be grown as far north as 

 New York, even if protected. It 

 has much the appearance of a 

 Weigela and is frequently called 

 one. All Weigelas have 5-pointed 

 sepals closely covering the base of 

 the corolla. The Abelias have pe- 

 culiarly irregular sepals, often 

 leaf -like and spreading and vary- 

 ing in number from 2 to 5 in the 

 different species. The leaves are 

 never over 2 inches long, gen- 

 erally about an inch. Many of 

 the Abelias are evergreen, all are 

 fitted for outdoor cultivation in 

 the Gulf states, and several will 

 probably do well in protected po- 

 sitions north to Washington. 



[Twig cuttings, in summer ; layers, in sprinc 



Fig. 398. — Chinese Abelia. 



KEY TO THE SPECIES OE ABELIA 



Leaves thick, nearly or fully evergreen. (A.) 

 A. Sepals 5. (B.) 



B. 



B 



Leaves nearly entire; flowers white with a pink tinge. Entire- 

 leaved Abelia (392) — Abelia trifiora. 



Leaves distinctly notched, oval ; flowers large, 2 inches, 

 rosy-purple. Mexican Abelia (393) — Abelia floribunda. 

 Leaves notched, ovate ; flowers over an inch long, white with 

 a yellowish throat. Yellow-throated White Abelia (394) 

 — Abelia spathulata. 

 . Sepals irregularly 2, 3, 4, or 5 ; flowers abundant, white with 

 tinge of pink, nearly an inch long, blooming continuously from 

 June to November. The hardiest species. Hybrid Abelia 

 (395) — Abelia grandifl5ra (A. rupdstris). 

 . Sepals generally 2 ; leaves notched. (C.) 



C. Flowers pale red. Serrate-leaved Abelia (396) — Abelia 

 serrata. 



