ROSACE.E— ROSE FAMILY 



MEADOW SWEET. WILLOW-LEAVED SPIR^A 



Spiraea Sixlicifblia. 



Spircca, a Greek name meaning twisted, referring to the 

 twisted pods of some species. 



An erect shrub, two to five feet high, simple or branched 

 above, with smooth, yellowish brown bark ; found in swamps 

 or moist ground. Ranges from Newfoundland to Georgia, and 

 west to Missouri ; also native in northern Europe, and in Asia. 

 Roots run for several feet just below the surface ; variable ; often 

 cultivated. 



Leaves. — Alternate, simple, pinnately veined, two to three 

 inches long, oblong or lanceolate, obovate or oblanceolate, 

 rounded or wedge shaped at base, serrate especially above the 

 middle, obtuse or acute at apex. They come out of the bud 

 slightly involute, yellow green, tipped with reddish brown; 

 when full grown smooth, yellow green above, paler green be- 

 neath ; when borne on the upper part of a young shoot fre- 

 quently one or two small leaves appear in the axils of the regular 

 leaf. The autumnal tints are a dull yellow or a dull red. Peti- 

 oles short ; stipules fugitive or wanting. 



Flowers. — July to September. 'White or pinkish, perfect, 

 from one-fourth to five-eighths of an inch across, borne in dense 

 terminal panicles. 



Calyx. — Tube bell-shaped, fivc-lobed. 



Corolla. — Petals five, short-clawed, white, 01 rose-tinted, 

 obovate; inserted on the calyx, imbricate in bud. 



nS 



