The Shrubs of North Carolina 17 



2. Stagger-Bush. (A. Mariana, Linn.) — Grows in the Lower 

 and Middle Districts, on the margin of low grounds. It is 2 to 3 

 feet high and smooth. The leaves are 1 to 2 inches long, not 

 toothed, dull green ; the flowering branches generally destitute of 

 leaves; the flowers in clusters along the branches, near i/i inch 

 long, white and showy, opening in April and May. 



3. (A. speciosa, Michx.) — A very handsome shrub growing in 

 low wet grounds of Pine barrens in the Lower District, 2 to 5 

 feet high and smooth. The leaves are 1 to IV2 i ncn long, toothed, 

 dull green, sometimes covered on the underside with a very white 

 bloom. The flowering branches are free from leaves, 6 to 12 

 inches long and very showy. The flowers are larger than in No. 

 2, more bell-shaped, opening in May. 



4. Pepper-Bush. (A. ligustrina, Muhl.) — This occurs in all 

 the Districts, but only in the lower part of the Upper. It is 3 to 

 4 feet high, somewhat hairy. The leaves are about 2 inches long, 

 sharp pointed, finely toothed, paler underside. The flowers are 

 small, almost globular, scurfy, in small clusters that are leafy. 



5. (A. floribunda, Pursh.) — Rather rare, and belonging to the 

 mountains, 4 to 8 feet high, the younger branches reddish and 

 covered with scattered stiff hairs and glandular dots. The leaves 

 are 1 to l 1 /) inch long, evergreen and rigid, rounded at base, 

 sharp at top, minutely scalloped, the youngest with short hairs 

 on the margin ; flowers in crowded leafy clusters. 



1. Dog Laurel. (Leucothoe Catesbsei, Gray.) — Found only in 

 the mountains, where it is also called Hemlock, growing on the 

 cool margins of streams. It is 2 to 4 feet high, the leaves ever- 

 green, 3 to 5 inches long and 1 inch broad, with a long tapering 

 point, prickly-toothed on the edges. Clusters of flowers in the 

 forks of the leaves. A very pretty shrub. 



2. (L. axillaris, Don.) — On the borders of streams and wet 

 places in the Lower District, and very much like No. 1. But the 

 leaves are less prickly-toothed, less tapering, 2 to 3 inches long, 

 broader than in the preceding, the clusters of flowers longer, and 

 the flowers longer. 



3. (L. racemosa, Gray.) — Grows from the coast to the base of 

 the mountains, 4 to 8 feet high, on the borders of w r et places. 

 The leaves are rather thin, acute, finely toothed, 1 to IV2 inch 

 long. The flowers (1/2 inch long) are on terminal straight 

 branchlets, all hanging to one side, and looking like rows of teeth, 

 the rows being 2 or 3 inches long. 



4. (L. recurva, Gray.) — Discovered by Mr. Buckley in the 

 mountains near Paint Rock. It is 3 to 4 feet high, the leaf and 

 flower-branches recurved; the leaves broader and more hairy 



