56 PLANTS OF MASSACHUSETTS. 



The rose has for ages been a favorite plant for ornament. 

 About 50 species have been described, and cultivation has pro- 

 duced numerous varieties. More than 500 varieties and species 

 are contained in the London catalogues, and, at Rouen, nearly 

 double this number is enumerated. Loudon. Doubtless far more 

 than those above mentioned are found in the more expensive 

 flower-gardens in this State. 



The flowers of the rose, or of several species, are valuable in 

 medicine. For this purpose, the abundant flowers of the cinna- 

 mon rose, and of others, are picked. Of this species, about thirty 

 varieties are sold in Europe. Rose-water is a well known prepa- 

 ration. The Rubifolia from Canada and the Lakes, and the 

 Cherokee from the South, are amongst the most desirable native 

 species now cultivated. The Boursault, the muUiflora, the 

 JBanksce, the Lamarck, are among the most beautiful European ; 

 and there are numerous varieties introduced from China, Rosa 

 Indica, which have added much to the value of a family already 

 so rich. 



POTENTILLA. L. 11. 12. 



P. tridentata. L. A small, rather beautiful species of 

 cinquefoil ; stem 3-8 inches high, nearly erect, dichotomous ; 

 leaves ternate-palmate, thick and leathery, with obovate leafets, 

 3-toothed at the summit ; flowers white, small ; grows on Wa- 

 chusett and Hoosac Mountains. The bald summit of Taconic 

 Mount is covered for a considerable distance with it. It is found 

 also in the valley near the College in Williamstown, probably 

 from seed brought down from the mountain. 



P. Norvegica. L. Hirsute, erect, dichotomous, 8-16 

 inches high, with leaves shaped like the preceding, but toothed, 

 and rough-haired, and yellow-flowered ; blossoms in June, in 

 old fields. 



P. Canadensis. L. Five-finger. Spread over the fields, 

 with a stem often procumbent and running, sometimes erect ; re* 

 sembles the strawberry at a little distance ; leaves quinate-palmate ; 

 yellow flowers ; blossoms from April to July. 



