The Manual of the Botany of the Northern United States. Asa Gray
2. P. palústris, L. Scapes 3–10´ high; leaves heart-shaped; flower nearly 1´ broad; petals sessile, rather longer than the calyx, few-veined; sterile filaments 9–15 in each set, slender.—Same range as the last. (Eu.)
3. P. Caroliniàna, Michx. Scapes 9´–2° high; flower 1–1½´ broad; petals sessile, more than twice as long as the calyx, many-veined; sterile filaments 3 in each set, stout, distinct almost to the base; leaves thickish, ovate or rounded, often heart shaped, usually but one low down on the scape and clasping.—Wet banks, N. Brunswick to Fla., west to Minn., Iowa, and La.
4. P. asarifòlia, Vent. Petals abruptly contracted into a claw at base; sterile filaments 3 in each set; leaves rounded, kidney-shaped; otherwise as in the foregoing.—High mountains of Va. and N. C.
10. HYDRÀNGEA, Gronov.
Calyx-tube hemispherical, 8–10 ribbed, coherent with the ovary, the limb 4–5-toothed. Petals ovate, valvate in the bud. Stamens 8–10, slender. Capsule 15-ribbed, crowned with the 2 diverging styles, 2-celled below, many-seeded, opening by a hole between the styles.—Shrubs, with opposite petioled leaves, no stipules, and numerous flowers in compound cymes. The marginal flowers are usually sterile and radiant, consisting merely of a showy membranaceous and colored flat and dilated calyx. (Name from ὕδωρ, water, and ἄγγος, a vase, from the shape of the capsule.)
1. H. arboréscens, L. (Wild Hydrangea.) Glabrous or nearly so, 1–8° high; leaves ovate, rarely heart-shaped, pointed, serrate, green both sides; cymes flat; flowers often all fertile, rarely all radiant.—Rocky banks, Penn. to Fla., west to Iowa and Mo.
2. H. radiàta, Walt. Leaves densely tomentose and paler or white beneath.—S. C. and Ga. to Tenn. and Mo.
11. DECUMÀRIA, L.
Flowers all fertile. Calyx-tube turbinate, 7–10-toothed, coherent with the ovary. Petals oblong, valvate in the bud. Stamens 20–30. Styles united into one, persistent. Stigma thick, 7–10-rayed. Capsule 10–15-ribbed, 7–10-celled, many-seeded, bursting at the sides, the thin partitions at length separating into numerous chaffy scales.—A smooth climbing shrub, with opposite ovate or oblong entire or serrate leaves, no stipules, and numerous fragrant white flowers in compound terminal cymes. (Name said to be derived from decem, ten, referring to the fact of its being often 10-merous.)
1. D. bárbara, L. Leaves shining, sometimes pubescent; capsule with the persistent style and stigma urn-shaped, pendulous.—Banks of streams; Dismal Swamp, Va., to Fla. and La.
12. PHILADÉLPHUS, L. Mock Orange or Syringa.
Calyx-tube top-shaped, coherent with the ovary; the limb 4–5-parted, spreading, persistent, valvate in the bud. Petals rounded or obovate, large, convolute in the bud. Stamens 20–40. Styles 3–5, united below or nearly to the top. Stigmas oblong or linear. Capsule 3–5-celled, splitting at length into as many pieces. Seeds very numerous, on thick placentæ projecting from the axis, pendulous, with a loose membranaceous coat prolonged at both ends.—Shrubs, with opposite often toothed leaves, no stipules, and solitary or cymose-clustered showy white flowers. (An ancient name, applied by Linnæus to this genus for no obvious reason.)
1. P. inodòrus, L. Glabrous; leaves ovate or ovate-oblong, pointed, entire or with some spreading teeth; flowers single or few at the ends of the diverging branches, pure white, scentless; calyx-lobes acute, scarcely longer than the tube.—Mountains of Va. to Ga. and Ala.
2. P. grandiflòrus, Willd. A tall shrub, with long and recurved branches; like the last, but somewhat pubescent, with larger flowers, and the calyx-lobes long and taper-pointed. (P. modorus, var. grandiflorus, Gray.)—Along streams, Va. to Fla. Often cultivated.
P. coronàrius, L., the common Mock Orange or Syringa of cultivation, from S. Eu., with cream-colored odorous flowers, has sometimes escaped.
13. ÍTEA, Gronov.
Calyx 5-cleft, free from the ovary or nearly so. Petals 5, lanceolate, much longer than the calyx, and longer than the 5 stamens. Capsule oblong, 2-grooved, 2-celled, tipped with the 2 united styles, 2-parted (septicidal) when mature, several-seeded.—Shrubs, with simple, alternate, petioled leaves, without stipules, and small white flowers in simple racemes. (Greek name of the Willow.)
1. I. Virgínica, L. Leaves deciduous, oblong, pointed, minutely serrate; seeds oval, flattish, with a crustaceous coat.—Wet places, Penn. and N. J. to Fla., west to Mo. and La.
14. RÌBES, L. Currant. Gooseberry.
Calyx 5-lobed, often colored; the tube coherent with the ovary. Petals 5, inserted in the throat of the calyx, small. Stamens 5, alternate with the petals. Ovary 1-celled, with 2 parietal placentæ and 2 distinct or united styles. Berry crowned with the shrivelled remains of the calyx, the surface of the numerous seeds swelling into a gelatinous outer coat investing a crustaceous one. Embryo minute at the base of hard albumen.—Low, sometimes prickly shrubs, with alternate and palmately-lobed leaves, which are plaited in the bud (except in one species), often fascicled on the branches; the small flowers from the same clusters, or from separate lateral buds. (From riebs, a German popular name for the currant. Grossularia was the proper name to have been adopted for the genus.)
§ 1. GROSSULÀRIA. (Gooseberry.) Stems mostly bearing thorns at the base of the leafstalks or clusters of leaves, and often with scattered bristly prickles; berries prickly or smooth. (Our species are indiscriminately called Wild Gooseberry; the flowers greenish.)
[*] Peduncles 1–3-flowered; calyx as high as broad; leaves roundish-heart-shaped, 3–5-lobed.
[+] Calyx-lobes decidedly shorter than the tube; berries apt to be prickly.
1. R. Cynósbati, L. Stamens and undivided style not longer than the broadly bell-shaped calyx; berries large, armed with long prickles or rarely smooth.—Rocky woods, N. Brunswick to the mountains of N. C., and west to Minn. and Mo.
[+][+] Calyx-lobes decidedly longer than the short and rather narrow tube; berries smooth, purple, sweet and pleasant.
2. R. grácile, Michx. (Missouri Gooseberry.) Spines often long, stout and red; peduncles long and slender; flowers white or whitish; filaments capillary, 4–6´´ long, generally connivent or closely parallel, soon conspicuously longer than the oblong-linear calyx-lobes. (R. rotundifolium, Man., in part.)—Mich. to Tenn., west to Tex., Minn., and the Rocky Mts.
3. R. rotundifòlium, Michx. Spines short; peduncles short; flowers greenish or the lobes dull purplish; filaments slender, 2–3´´ long, more or less exceeding the narrowly oblong-spatulate calyx-lobes.—W. Mass, and N. Y., south in the Alleghanies to N. C.
4. R. oxyacanthoìdes, L. Peduncles very short, flowers greenish or dull purplish; stamens usually scarcely equalling the rather broadly oblong calyx-lobes. (R. hirtellum, Michx.)—Newf. to N. J., west to Ind., Minn., and westward. The common smooth-fruited gooseberry of the north, the whitish spines often numerous.
[*][*] Flowers several in a nodding raceme, small and flattish, greenish.
5. R. lacústre, Poir. Young stems clothed with bristly prickles and with weak thorns; leaves heart-shaped, 3–5-parted, with the lobes deeply cut; calyx broad and flat; stamens and style not longer than the petals; fruit bristly (small, unpleasant).—Cold woods and swamps, Newf. to N. Eng., west to N. Y., Mich., and Minn.
§ 2. RIBÈSIA. (Currant.) Thornless and prickless; racemes few–many-flowered, stamens short.
6. R. prostràtum, L'Her. (Fetid Currant.) Stems reclined; leaves deeply heart-shaped, 5–7-lobed, smooth, the lobes ovate, acute, doubly serrate; racemes