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when young, afterwards becoming almost smooth. Petioles
short, furrowed on the upper side and rounded on the
lower, rough and pubescent. Flowers frequently in threes,
terminal, large and white, generally 4-petaled, but sometimes
increased to 5 or 6. Peduncle short, warted, thickened
upwards. Bractes small, setaceous, inserted just below the
base of the ovarium, deciduous. Calyx 4-cleft, or rarely
5-cleft ; the laciniæ ovate, lanceolate, taper-pointed, spreading,
clothed with close-pressed hairs. Petals 4, or sometimes
increased to 5 or 6, inserted in the calyx, alternate
with the laciniæ, ovate, rather acute, spreading. Stamens
above 50, inserted in the calyx and base of the petals, in a
double series, unequal in length : pollen yellow. Ovarium
half inferior, the lower part enclosed in the tubular part of
the calyx. Styles frequently 4, sometimes 5 or 6, connected
together. Stigmas 4 to 6, spathulate, extending
beyond the anthers, connected together.
This interesting species was detected on the banks of the
French broad river, Tennessee, near the Warm Springs, by
Mr. Nuttall, who has given a description of it in his valuable
work on the genera of North American Plants. There is a
variety of this cultivated in the gardens, under the name of
gracilis, whose distinction is made to consist in the leaves
being 3-nerved, but the number of nerves is a character of
no importance in this genus. The plant succeeds well in
the common garden soil, and it is readily propagated by
cuttings.
Our drawing was taken from a plant which flowered in
the Nursery of Messrs. Whitley, Brames, and Milne,
Fulham.
Philadelphus from <j>iXadeX<l>oç, the name of a shrub mentioned
by Athenæus, and first applied to the present genus
by Caspar Bauhin.
1. T h e calyx in front, with th e ovary ; style and stigmas in their natural situations.
2 . Th e stamens spread open. 3. A detached petal.
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