saxifragace^e. (saxifrage family.) 155 



streams, among the mountains, Georgia, and northward. April and May. y. — 

 Stems 4' - 6' long. 



9. ITEA, L. 

 Calyx campanulate, 5-cleft, free from the ovary. Petals 5, lanceolate. Sta- 

 mens 5, shorter than the petals. Styles 2, united. Capsule 2-celled, 2-furrowed, 

 septicidally 2-valvcd, several-seeded. — A shrub with simple oblong or oval ser- 

 rate pubescent leaves, and close mostly drooping racemes of white fragrant flow- 

 ers terminating the branches. 



1. I. Virginica, L. — Swamps, Florida to Mississippi, and northward. 

 May and June. — Shrub 4° - 10° high. 



10. HYDRANGEA, Gronov. 



Calyx-tube hemispherical, 8-10-ribbed, coherent with the ovary; the limb 

 4-5-toothcd, persistent. Petals ovate, valvate in the bud. Stamens 8-10, fili- 

 form. Capsule crowned with the 2 diverging styles, 2-cellcd, many-seeded, open- 

 ing at the apex between the styles. — Erect shrubs, with opposite petioled leaves, 

 without stipules, and whitish or purplish flowers, in ample compound cymes ; 

 the marginal flowers mostly sterile, with the calyx-lobes enlarged and showy. 



1. H. arborescens, L. Smoothish; leaves ovate, acute or acuminate, 

 serrate, mostly rounded or cordate at the base ; cymes crowded, flat-topped ; 

 sterile flowers few or none. (II. vulgaris, Michx. H. cordata, Pursh.) — Banks 

 of streams, Florida to Mississippi, and northward. June and July. — Shrub 

 4° - 8° high. Leaves 3' - 6' long. 



2. H. radiata, Walt. Leaves ovate, acuminate, serrate, mostly cordate at 

 the base, white-tomentose beneath; cymes flat-topped; sterile flowers few. — 

 Rich soil, Georgia, Carolina, and Tennessee. May and June. — Shrub 4° -8° 

 high. 



3. H. quercifolia, Bartram. Young branches and leaves densely to- 

 -mentose; leaves oval, sharply 5-lobed, serrate; cymes clustered, forming a close 



oblong panicle ; sterile flowers large, numerous. — Shady banks, Florida, Geor- 

 gia, and westward. May and June. — Shrub 3° -6° high. Leaves 4'- 8' long. 

 Sterile flowers whitish, turning purple. 



11. DECUMARIA, L. 



Flowers all fertile. Calyx-tube turbinate, coherent with the ovary, 7-10- 

 toothed. Petals valvate in the bud, oblong. Stamens 21-30. Styles united, 

 persistent. Stigma thick, 7-10-rayed. Capsule 10- 15-ribbcd, 7-10-celled, 

 bursting at the sides ; the thin partitions at length separating obliquely into nu- 

 merous chaffy scales. Seeds numerous, suspended. — A smooth climbing 

 shrub, with opposite ovate or oblong entire or serrate leaves, and numerous odor- 

 ous white flowers in compound terminal cymes. 



I. D. barbara, L. — Banks of streams, Florida to North Carolina, and 



westward. May and June. — Leaves shining, sometimes pubescent. Capsule, 

 with the persistent style and stigma, urn-shaped, pendulous. 



