lì-
Ovarium free. Styles straight. Stigma trifid. Capsule girded by the calyx,
3-celled, with a loculicidal dehiscence ; cells many-seeded. {Doris Mill.)
Leaves simple, alternate, exstipulate, deciduous; serrated. Flowers in
racemes, terminal, solitary, or panicled, bracteate, with white corollas. —
Shrubs, deciduous ; natives of North America. From tke appearance of
the plants in British gardens, we are strongly inclined to think that all the
sorts may be referred to one species. Peat soil kept moist.
J» 1. (7. « ì l n i f o ' l i a L. The Alder-leaved
Clethra.
Identification. Lin. Sp., 566. ; Don’s Mill, 3. p. 841. ; Pursh
Sept., l .p . 301.
Synonyme. C. «InifòHa var. « denudkta Ait. Hort. Kew. 2.
ETigravings. Schmidt Baum., t. 47. ; and o u r /g . 1095.
Spec, Char., S/c. Leaves cuneate-obovate, acute,
coarsely serrated above, glabrous on both
surfaces, and of tiie same colour. Racemes
spicate, simple, bracteate, clothed with hairy
tomentum. {Doris Mill.) A deciduous shrub.
New England to Virginia, in swamps. Height
3 ft. to 4 ft. Introduced in 1731. Flowers
1095. c. alnifòlia whitc ; July and September,
i 2. C. { a . ) TOMENTO'SA Lam. The downy Clethra.
Idmiijication.^ Lam. Djct., 2. p. 46. ; Don’s Mill., 3. p. 842. ; Pursh
Fl. Amer. Sept. l .p . 301.
Synonymes. C. alnifblia fi
incàna Pers. Ench. 1. p. 4»^.
Engravings. Wats. Dend. Brit., t. 3
pubéscens AU. Hort. Kew. 2. p. 73. ; C.
\. ; and o u r/g s . 1096, and 1097.
Spec. Char., 4*c. Leaves cuneate-obovate, acute, finely
serrated at top, clothed with white
tomentum beneath. Racemes spicate,
simple, bracteate, villously tomentose.
{Doris Mill.) A deciduous
shrub. Virginia and Carolina,
in swamps. Height 3 ft. to 4 ft.
Introduced in 1731. Flowers white ;
1096. C. (a.) .omeniòsa. July tO October. 1097. C. (a.) tomentósa.
^ 3. C. {a.) p a n i c u l a ' t a Ait. The pamdeà-Jloivered Clethra.
Identification. Ait. Hort. Kew., 2. p. 73. ; Don’s Mill., 3. p. 842. ; Pursh Sept.. 1. p. 302.
Engraving. O u r /g . 1098. from a specimen in the British Museum.
'ec. Char., S/c. Leaves narrow, cuneate-lanceolate, acute,
acuminately serrated, glabrous on both surfaces. Panicle
terminal, elongated, composed of racemes, and clothed with
white tomentum. {Doris Mill.) A deciduous shrub. Carolina.
Height 3 ft. to 4 ft. Introduced
in 1770. Flowers white ; July to October.
Î 4. C. { a . ) a c u m i n a ' t a Michx.
mm-àieà-leavcd Clethra.
The acu-
Identification. Miclix. FI. Bor., Amer. 1. p. 260. ; Don’!
Mill., 3. p, 842. ; Pursh Sept., l.p . 302.
Synonyme. C. montàna Bartr. Cal.
Engravings. Bot. Cab., t. 1427. ; and our fig. 1099.
Spec, Char,, 4’»* Leaves oval, acuminated,
bluntish at the base, seriated, glabrous on
both surflices, rather glaucous beneath. Racemes
spicate, almost solitary, bracteate,
clothed with white tomentum. Flowers resembling those
of C. alnifòlia. (Doris Mill,) A large shrub or low
ti-ee. Carolina, on high mountains. Height 10 ft. to 15 ft. Introduced
in 180G. Flowers white; July to October.
J, 3. C, ( a , ) s c a 'b r a Pers, The rough-fea»e<i Clethra.
mntijklttion. Pors. Ench., I. p. 482.: Don's Mill., 3, p. 842.; Pursh Sept., I. p. 302.
&igro»i»g. O u r * . 2093. In p. 1107.
Spec, Char,, f r . Leaves broad, cuneate-obovate, acute, scabrous on both surfaces,
coarsely serrated; serratures hooked. Racemes spicate, sub-panicled
bracteated, finely tomentose. (Doris Mill,) A deciduous shrub. Western
parts of Georgia. Iieight 3 ft. to i ft. Introduced in 1806. Flowers
white ; July to October.
Sect. II. Tîh o d o ' r e æ .
The Rhodorem include genera of some of the most singularly ornamental
evergreen and deciduous peat-earth shrubs that adorn our gardens ; for what
would our American grounds be without rhododendrons and azaleas ? The
culture of all the species is nearly the same; they all require peat-earth, or,
at least, thrive best in it; and some of them will not live without it. They
mav all be propagated by cuttings of the growing shoots, planted in fine sand,
and covered with a glass, or by layers; but the best plants of all the species
are procured from seed. The varieties can, of course, only be continued
by cuttings or layers ; and the stools for these require to be planted in beds
of peat, which should be kept tolerably moist. The seeds, if ripened in this
countrjl should be sown soon after gathering; and those imported from Ame
rica, immediately on being received: because, though the seeds of all the J5ri-
ciiceffi will retain the vital principle for several years, yet the longer they are
kept out of the soil, the less likely they are to germinate, and the greater
will be the risk of losing some of them. They should be sown in pots or
boxes, or in a border shaded from the direct influence of the sun ; and kept in
a uniform state of moisture, and protected from the frost. In sowing, the
surface of the soil should previously be made quite smooth, and gently
pressed down, or watered till it has settled to a level surface; and, after the
seeds have been equally distributed over this surface, they should be covered
with no move soil than is barely requisite to conceal them from the eye.
Seeds sown in autumn will germinate in the following spring, and be fit for
transplanting into nursery lines or pots by the autumn, or by the spring of the
following year. These directions will apply generally to all the species, but
are more particularly applicable to those which are perfectly hardy. In
France, some of the species have been increased by herbaceous grafting.
G e n u s X X I.
1099. C. (a.) nciiinînàtn.
THOBODE'NDRON L. T h e R h o d o d e n d r o n , o r Toss Lin. Syst.
Peiita-Decandria Monogynia.
r e r™ . t» .e™l„8l bunches o,
flowers, which are usually red, or rose-colour.
Gen, Char, Calyx S-parted. Corolla somewhat funnel-shaped, o r campanulate
rarely ro ta te or S-parted ; limb 5 cleft, somewhat bilabiate ; upper ip the
broadest, and usually spotted. Stamens S - 1 0 , usually exserted d /l in a t e .
Anthers opening by two terminal pores. Capsule S-celled, 5-valved, rarely
l> p 4