198 ROSACEA. SPIR.EA. 



Tribe I. SPIRES. Juss. 



Calyx campanulale, imbricate, or sometimes valvate in (Estivation. Carpels mostly 5 {rarely 

 more, sometimes reduced to \ or 2), verticillate, follicular or 2-valved in fruit : styles 

 terminal. Seeds 1 - 10 m each carpel, pendulous or ascending. — Shrubs or small 

 trees, rarely herbs. 



3. SPIR/EA. Linn.; Endl. gen. 6391. MEADOW-SWEET. 



[ Supposed to be the Speircia of Theophraslus. Speira signifies a cord.] 



Calyx 5-cleft, persistent. Petals 5, obovate or roundish, equal. Stamens 20 - 50. Carpels 

 3-5 (sometimes 6 - 8), distinct or rarely united at the base, sometimes with a short stipe : 

 style terminal. Seeds 2 — 15, suspended, or very rarely one of them ascending. — Unarmed 

 shrubs or perennial herbs. Flowers white or rose-color. 



& 1. Physocarpds, Camb. Carpels large, someichat united at the base, inflated: seeds with a firm 

 shining testa. — Shrubs, with somewhat lobed stipulate leaves. 



1, Spiraea opulifolia, Linn. Nine-hark. 



Leaves roundish, often subcordate, slightly 3-lobed, doubly crenate-serrate, pelioled, 

 smoothish ; corymbs umbel-like, pedunculate, hemispherical ; pedicels filiform ; carpels 

 3-5, finally spreading, much longer than the calyx. — Linn. sp. I. p. 489 ; Michx. fl. 1. 

 p. 293 ; Ell. sk. 1. p. 540 ; Torr. fl. \.p. 482 ; Seringe in DC. prodr. 2. p. 542 ; Hook, 

 fl. Bor.-Am. 1. p. 171 ; Beck, hot. p. 98; Darlingt. fl. Cest. p. 298. 



A shrub 3-5 feet high, much branched ; the old bark loose, and separating in numerous 

 thin layers. Leaves about 2 inches in diameter, often roundish-ovate, more or less distinctly 

 3-lobed and crenately incised. Corymbs numerous, about two inches in diameter, many- 

 flowered. Calyx (and pedicels) pubescent ; the teeth ovate, acute. Disk entirely cohering 

 with the tube of the calyx. Ovaries with 1-4 ovules, one of which is suspended, the others 

 ascending : stigmas capitate. Carpels about three times as long as the calyx, compressed, 

 a little acuminate, somewhat membranaceous, smooth and shining. Seeds about 2 in each 

 carpel, reniform-obovoid. 



Rocky banks of rivers, etc. ; rather common. Fl. May - June. Fr. August. 



^ 2. Ecspir.s:a, Torr. & Gr. Carpels distinct, not inflated : seeds mostly with a loose membranaceous 

 testa. — Shrubs, with entire leaves destitute of stipules. 



2. SpiRiEA SALiciFOLiA, LifiTi. Quecn-of-the-meadow. 



Plant nearly smooth ; leaves lanceolate or obovate, simply or doubly serrate ; racemes in 

 crowded panicles ; carpels 5, smooth. — Linn. ; Pall. ft. Ross. t. 21 ; Willd. sp. 2. p. 1055 ; 



