650 Order 121.— MTRICACE^. 



lanceolate; fertUe amenta oval. — Not unGomtoon along streams, IT. Eng. to Wis. 

 and Can. A tall shrub or small tree, readily distinguishable by the form and 

 pubescence of the leayes. (A. glauca Mx.) 



2 A. serrul^ta Willd. Smooth Alder. Lvs dbovaie, acuminate, doubly serru- 

 late, smooth beneath, except the veins and their axils ; stip. elliptical, obtuse. — A 

 'well known shrub growing in clumps, and forming thickets on the borders of 

 ponds and rivers, and in swamps. Stems numerous, rather straight, 10 — 15f in 

 height. Leaves 2 — 4' long and } as wide, strongly veined ; petioles J— J' long. 

 Aments 2 — 3' long, slender, pendulous, fascicled at the ends of the branches ; 

 fertile ones short, thick, dark brown, persistent, several together a little below the 

 sterile one. Mar., Apr. (A. rubra Tuokerman.) 



3 A. viridia DO. Mountain Alder Los. oval, acute, obtusish at base, doubly 

 serrate, clothed with a soft viscid pubescence, or subglabrous, villous on the veins 

 and axils beneath ; stip. broadly ovate ; fertile aments on long peduncles, oval. — 

 High mountain streams, N. Bug. N. T. and Can. An elegant shrub, 3— 4f high. 

 Leaves varying to broad-ovate, rarely cordate, nearly smooth in the alpine state, 

 otherwise softly pubescent and sprinkled with resinous particles. Apr. (A. 

 crispa Mx.) 



Order CXXI. MYRICACE.^. Galeworts. 



Shrubs with alternate, rosinous-dotted, often ftagrant leaves, with the flowers 

 monoecious or dioecious, achlamydeous, both kinds in scaly aments. $ Stamens 2 

 to 8. 2 Ovary 1-celled, with 1 erect ovule; stigmas 2, filiform. Fmii dry or dru- 

 Jjaoeous, indehisoent. Seed with no albumen. 



Oe'nera 8, species 20, fomul in the temporftto parts of N. America, in India and S. Africa, and 

 one species in Europe. Sioeet Fern is liiglily aromatic and astringent. Tile fruit of the Ba/y- 

 herry bush yields wax abundantly. 



1. fflYRrCA, L. Candlebbrry Myrtle. (Gr. fivpt^u, to perfume, 

 The name anciently designated the Tamarind tree.) Flowers J ? . — 

 Aments $ cylindrical, ? small, ovoid-capitate. $ Stamens 4 to 6, 

 short, erect, anthers large, 4-valved. ? Ovary 1 to each bract, with 3 

 scale^t its base, superior; styles 2, spreading; stigmas 2, acute; drupe 

 1-cellcd, 1-seeded, covered with wax or resinous dots. Stip. very fuga- 

 cious or 0. 



1 M. Gkle L. Sweet Gale. Dutch Myrtle. Lvs. clustered, cuneate-hnceolate, 

 obtuse and serrate above, margin very entire and slightly revolute below, tapering 

 to a very short petiole ; sterile aments clustered, of ovate, cordate, acuminate, ciliato 

 scales ; //-. doited in an oblong, dense, amentaceous head. — A branching shrub, 

 3 — 4f high, on the inundated borders of ponds and mountain lakes. Can. to Car. 

 Loaves dark green, paler beneath with a strong midvein, 9 — 18" by 4 — 6", entire 

 ^ tlio length. S and S aments on separate plants, the former terminal, about 1' 

 in lengtli, the latter axillary and much shorter. Fruit and leaves when cruslied, 

 with a pungent, spicy odor. May. 



2 M. oerifera L. Bayberry. Wax Myrtle. Ijvs. glabrous, cuneaie-oblong, 

 rather aouto or obtuse, distinctly petiolate, margin entire or remotely undulate- 

 dentato above ; aments cotemporary with the leaves, scattered, naked, the S 

 larger, with lax, roundish scales; fi: spherical, distinct, clustered, covered with 

 wax. — This interesting and useful shrub is found in dry woods or in open iields, 

 Nova Scotia to Flor., W. to Lake Erie. Height 2 — 8f, covered with a grayish 

 bark. Very branching with numerous dry looking leaves, 18 to 30" by 6 to 9". 

 Aments 6 to 9" long. Drupe 1 }" long, covered with white wax, — the bayberry 

 tallow of commerce. May. 



3 M. Caroliu^nsia L. Lvs. larger, evergreen, coriaceous, cuneate-elliptical, acute, 

 Vith about i acute teeth near the apex, petiolato ; S amdnts solitary or several in 

 tfio axils of the old leaves ; s naked, with rounded, acuminate scales. — Swamps, 

 S. Car. to Fla. Shrub 4 to 8f high. Lvs. 3 to 5' by 1 to 2', petiole 1' or less. 



