SPIRjEA f il ip e n d u l a . COMMON DROP WORT.
S P IRiEA Filipendula ; foliis interrupte pinnatis, foliolis omnibus profunde serratis vel incisis, floribus
paniculato-cymosis.
SPIRAEA Filipendula. L im . Sp. PI. p. 702. Huds. Angl. p. 217. Light-f. Scot. p. 259. With.
Bot. A r r . ed. 4. ml. 3. p. 454. Hoffm. Germ. vol. 1. P . I. p. 227- (Ed. Dan. t. 635.
Willd. Sp. PI. m l. 2. 1061. Smith Fl. B r it. t. 536. Engl. Bot. t. 284. Decand. Fl. Fr.
ed. 3. ml. 4. p. 478. Fl. Gail. Syn. p , 338. A it. Hort. Kertv. ed. 2. ml. 3. p. 256. Pers.
Syn. P I. ml. 2. p. 46. Hook. Fl. Scot. P . I. p. 152.
F IL IP E N D U L A foliis pinnatis, minimis intermixtis, extrema trilobata. Hall. Helv. n. 1136.
F IL IP E N D U L A , Common Dropwort. R aii Syn. p . 259-
Bohem. Tuzehnjk. Dan. Biergmantel. Dut. Dropwortel. Fr. L a Filipendule. Germ. Die Filipendula.
Hung. Varjé-mogyoró. It. Port, e t Span. Filipendula. Norw. Biergmangel. Pol. Kro-
pidelko mnieysze. Russ. Dónnik. Swed. Brudbröd. Welsh. Crogedyf.
Class a n d Or d e r . IC O SA N D R IA PEN TA G Y N IA .
[N atural Ord e r . ROSACEiE, Juss., Decand., Hook.]
Ge n . Ch a r . Cal. inferus, quinque-fidus. Pet. quinque. Pericarpia tria ad duodecim, monolocularia, bivalvia.
Semina unum vel tria in singulo loculo.
G e n . Ch a r . Cal. inferior, five-cleft. Pet. five. Pericarps three to twelve, one-celled, two-valved. Seeds one
to three in each cell.
R ad ix perennis,subfusiformis,lignosa,fusca, parce fibrosa,
fibris hie illic tuberosis; tuberibus ovatis vel
oblongis, fibrillosis.
C aulis pedalis et ultra, gracilis, erectus, subflexuosus,
glaber, fusco-viridis, subnudus, superne subpani-
culatus.
Folia radicalia numerosa, leete-viridia, caulina subbina,
omnia interrupte pinnata, pinnulis oblongis profunde
inciso-serratis, subdistantibus, alternatim
minutissimis.
Stipulze ad basin petioli adnatas, argute serratas, magnos.
FLORES numerosi, paniculato-cymosi, albi vel lactei, ex-
tus pulcherrime rosei. Pedunculi pedicellique
gracillimi.
Calyx monophyllus, angulatus, quinque-vel sex-denta-
tus, viridis, dentibus reflexis purpurascentibus.
P e tala plerumque sex, obovata.
St am in a numerosa, calyce inserta. Filamenta gracilia,
curvata. Antheras subrotundata;, didymas.
PlSTlLLA subdecem, supera, in circulo disposita, hirsuta.
Ge rm en oblongum; ovulis duobus, pendentibus.
Stylus breviusculus, recurvus. Stigma magnum, re-
curvuin, canalicutum, fiavum.
P e r ic a r p ia tot quot germina, fusca, hirsuta, oblonga,
compressa, scabra, intus dehiscentia, stylo recur-
vato terminata.
Root perennial, subfusiform, woody, brown, sparingly
fibrous, with the fibres here and there bearing
tubers; the tubers ovate or oblong, fibrillose.
St em a foot or more high, slender, erect, subflexuose,
glabrous, brownish green, nearly naked, subpani-
culated above.
Leaves : those of the root numerous, bright green; cau-
line ones about two, all interruptedly pinnate,
the pinnules oblong, cut and serrated very deeply,
somewhat distant, alternately very small.
St ipu l e s a t the base of the petiole, adnate, sharply
serrated, large.
Flowers numerous, paniculato-cymose, white or cream
coloured, externally of a beautiful rose colour.
Peduncles and pedicels slender.
Calyx of one piece, angulate, five- or six-toothed, green,
having the teeth reflexed and purplish.
P etals generally six, obovate.
Stamens numerous, inserted upon the calyx. Filaments
slender, curved. Anthers roundish, didymous.
P ist il s about ten, superior, ranged in a circle, hairy.
Ge rm en oblong; ovules two, pendent.
St y l e rather short, recurved. Stigma large, recurved,
grooved, yellow.
P erica rps as many as there are germens, brown, hairy,
oblong, compressed, scabrous, opening internally,
and terminated with the recurved style.
Fig. l. Unexpanded flower. Fig. 2. Flower expanded. Fig. 3. Unexpanded stamen. Fig. 4. Expanded stamen.
Fig. 5. Calyx. Fig. 6. Pistils. Fig. 7. Single pistil. Fig. 8. The same, with the germen cut open to
show the ovules. Fig. 9. Fruit. Fig. 10. Single pericarp.—all more or less magnified.
This graceful plant is not uncommon in chalky hilly pastures and heaths, adorning many a waste with its delicate
blossoms, which are in perfection from July to September.
The roots afford an excellent example of a radix tuberosa, and the leaves, equally with those o f Spircea Ulmaria,
an instance o f fo lium interrupte pinnatum, that is, having between each of the leaflets an alternate and smaller one.
I t is mentioned by Linnasus that the tuberous roots of this plant, when dried and reduced to powder, make a
kind of bread, which in times of dearth is not to be despised.