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DOMESTIC BOTANY. 



The Witch Hazel Family. 



(Hamamelidace^.) 



Small, deciduous, or evergreen trees, or shrubs. Leaves 

 simple, alternate, with parallel veins running from the 

 midrib to the margin, furnished with deciduous stipules. 

 Flowers in heads or spikes, sometimes contained in an 

 involucre. Petals generally small or wanting. Stamens 

 generally 4, much longer than the petals. Pistils 2. Fruit 

 a capsule, opening by valves. 



A small and cuiious family of plants, consisting of about 

 18 species, forming nearly as many genera. They are 

 natives chiefly of, and widely spread over, the Northern 

 hemisphere. They possess no peculiar properties for general 

 use, but the following are cultivated in this country : — 

 Witch Hazel {Hamamelis virginica and Fothergilla alni- 

 folid), natives of North America and hardy in this country ; 

 Parrotia persica, a small tree of Northern Persia, and its 

 ally, Corylopsis spicata, of Japan, have deciduous leaves like 

 the Hazel, and are hardy in this country ; Tricliocladus 

 crinitus, a native of South Africa, was introduced in 1823. 

 It is a rusty-leaved bushy plant growing to the height of 

 about 3 feet. One of the most interesting of the family is 

 Rliodoleia Championi, native of Hong-Kong, introduced into 

 this country about twelve years ago. Its flower consists of a 

 large involucrum containing a number of coloured petals, 

 having, as well as the leaves, much resemblance to a 

 Camellia. It grows freely in the greenhouse. 



(Bruniace^.) 



A family of from 50 to 60 species, natives of South Africa. 

 They are small shrubs Avith heath-like, rigid, imbricate 

 leaves. Flowers small, solitary, panicled, or in compact 

 bractseform heads. Stamens 5. Pistil 1. 



Several species of Brunia have long been cultivated in 

 Botanic Gardens. They do not possess any useful pro- 

 perties. 



