CHIMAPHILA AND PYROLA 



265 



ClSthra. The Clethras or Sweet Peppeebushes are beautiful sweet- 

 scented shrubs with white flowers in terminal slender erect, or slightly 

 nodding, clusters in late summer and fall. The leaves are alternate, 

 sharp-pointed, feather-veined and serrated. The flowers have the 6 petals 

 slightly united at base and 10 stamens. The fruit is a 3-angled 3-valved 

 capsule with numerous seeds, remaining on through the year. 



The be.st and most hardy species, 3 to 10 feet high, Sweet Clethra or 

 Sweet Peppekbush (453) — Clfethra alnifblia, — has the leaves wedge- 



d'^l f^ 



Fig. 454. — Spotted Wintergreen. 



Fig. 455. — Pip.sissevva. 



shaped at base and widest beyond the middle. The next in hardiness is 

 found wild from Virginia south. Southern Clethra or Mountain Pep- 

 pekbush — Clethra acuminata, — a taller plant, to 15 feet, with larger 

 leaves, 2 to 7 inches long, widest about the middle and the flowers more 

 no,dding and more hairy. Besides these two Sweet Pepperbushes there are 

 other and more tender species' found wild in the Gulf states and Mexico 

 which might be, but probably are not yet, in cultivation. The tallest 

 species, to 30 feet, is from eastern Asia, Philippine Clethra — Clethra 

 can^scens; it has such compound clusters as alnifblia but is probably 

 not hardy North. [Seeds ; twig cuttings ; layers ; divisions.] 



Chimdphila and Pyrola. The Wintergreens and Pipsissewas are 

 woody plants hardly tall enough to be included in a book of shrubs, but 



