38 Botanical Excursion to the Moimtains of North Carolina. 



and subsequently in similar situations, particularly along the 

 steep banks of streams, quite to the base of the Roan. Mr. Curtis 

 found it abundantly near the sources of the Linville River, and 

 at the North Cove, where it could not have escaped the notice 

 of Michaux ; and it is doubtless the Spiraa Aruncus var. her- 

 maphrodita of that author. It indeed greatly resembles Spirma 

 Aruncus, and at a distance of a few yards is not easily distin- 

 guished from that plant, but on a closer approach the resem- 

 blance is much less striking. Michaux appears to have been the 

 original discoverer of this plant, and from him the specimens 

 cultivated in the Malmaison Garden, and described by Yentenat 

 under the name of Tiarella biternata, were probably derived. 

 It was afterwards collected by Lyon,* and described by Pursh 

 from a specimen cultivated in Mr. Lambert's garden at Boynton. 

 We noticed a peculiarity in this plant, which explains the dis- 

 crepancy between Ventenat and Pursh, (the former having fig- 

 ured it with linear-spatulate petals, while the latter found it apett- 

 alous,) and perhaps throws some additional light upon the genus. 

 The flowers are dimcio-polygammis, the two forms differing from 

 each other in aspect much as the staminate and pistillate plants 

 of Spircea Aruncus. In one form, the filaments are exserted to 

 twice or thrice the length of the calyx, and the spatulate-linear 

 petals, inconspicuous only on account of their narrowness, are 

 nearly as long as the stamens: .the ovaries are well-formed and 

 filled with ovules, which, however, so far as I have observed, are 

 never fertilized ; and the stigmas are smaller than in the fertile 

 plant, and not papillose. In the other or fertile form, both the 

 stamens and the petals are in an abortive or rudimentary state, 

 and being shorter than the sepals, and concealed by them in dried 

 specimens, are readily overlooked ; the stigmas are large, trun- 

 cate, and papillose, and a portion of the ovules become fertile. 

 The Japanese species [Hoteia Japonica, Morr. ^ Decaisne, the 

 Spiraa Armicus of Thunberg,) appears to have uniform and 

 perfect flowers ;t but the species from Nepal {Astilbe rivularis, 



* Muhlenberg's specimen was also received from Lyon. The only habitat 

 cited in this author's Catalogue is Tennessee, and we ourselves collected it within 

 the limits, as well as on the borders of that State. The late Dr. Macbride found it 

 in South Carolina, near the sources of the Saluda. 



t " Flores in meo Japonico specimine omnes inveni hermaphroditos, nee ullos 

 polygaraos." Thunhcrg, Flora Japonica, p. 212, sub Spircca Arunco. 



