NAT. ORDER. 
SaxifragecB. 
HYDRANGEA HORTENSIS. CHINA HYDRANGEA. 
Class X. Decandria. Order II. Digynia. 
Gen. Char. Stamens ten. Styles two. Petals five. Calyx five- 
Jeaved, Capsules two-celled. 
Spe. Char. Leaves large and fleshy. Stamens equal. 
This shrub rises from two to three feet in height; the stems are 
branched, thick, cylindrical, straight, and furnished with oj^posite 
leaves ; the leaf-stalk is short, thick, and of a light green color ; the 
leaves are elliptical, large, from six to eight inches in length, smooth 
on both sides, glossy on the upper surface, tipped with a beautiful 
green, and sometimes with a purplish red, marked with large fibres 
which form an acute angle with the mid-rib, and deeply serrated 
on the edges ; the Jlowers are of a delicate pink color, and are pro- 
duced in terminating corymbs. It is a native of China, and Japan, 
and continues in blossom from June till September. 
The Genus Hydrangea derived its name from udor, water, and 
aggeion, a vessel. The species which appears to be so extensively 
cultivated as an ornament, is a marsh plant, and thrives best in a 
moist loamy soil, that is sometimes covered with water, even some 
of our garden varieties, especially those which are potted, require 
from eight to ten gallons per day. The Hydrangea Hortensis, some- 
times called the Changeable Hydrangea, is much admired on 
account of its profusion of delicate and beautiful blossoms, which 
are of a rosy hue, and destined to retain their gayest appearance 
during several of the summer months, which should certainly enti- 
Vcl. ii.— U 
