Halesia
(named after Stephen Hales, 1677-1761, author of a famous work on "Vegetable Statics"). Silver-Bell or Snowdrop Tree. SYN. Pterostyrax. ORD. Styracaceae. A genus containing about half-a-dozen species of ornamental hardy deciduous small trees, of which three are North American, one Chinese, and two or three from Japan. Flowers white, showy, drooping, on slender pedicels, in fascicles (or rarely very short racemes) from the axils of the fallen leaves of the preceding year. Leaves rather large, ovate-oblong, acuminate, more or less denticulate, slender-petioled. The species are well suited for shrubberies and lawns, in almost any position; but one somewhat sheltered is most suitable, and a deep, sandy, moist soil is best. Increased by layers, or by cuttings of the roots, in spring and autumn.
H. corymbosa (corymbose). fl. white, tinted with rose or yellow, in corymbose panicles. June. l. rounded at the base, ovate-cuspidate, sharply-serrated, hairy. h. 10ft. to 12ft. Japan. SYN. Pterostyrax corymbosum. (S.Z. F. J. 47.) H. diptera (two-winged). fl. white. Spring. fr. with two large opposite wings and two obsolete ones. l. large, ovate, acute, serrated. h. 10ft. North America, 1758. SYN. H. reticulata. (L. B. C. 1172.) H. hispida (hairy).* fl. white, in corymbose racemes. fr. covered with stiff and dense hairs. l. large, cordate, on stout petioles. Japan, 1875. SYN. Pterostyrax hispidum. 166 and 167.
H. parviflora (small-flowered). fl. white, drooping; racemes panicled. May. fr. clavate, slightly four-winged. l. ovate-oblong, acute, nearly entire, downy, glaucous beneath. h. 10ft. Georgia and Florida, 1802. H. reticulata (reticulated). A synonym of H. diptera. H. tetraptera (four-winged).* fl. pure white, nine or ten in a fascicle, drooping, somewhat resembling those of the Snowdrop. Spring. fr. four-winged, 1in. to 2in. long. l. ovate-lanceolate, acuminated, sharply serrated. h. 15ft. to 20ft. North America, 1756. (B. M. 910; L. B. C. 1173.)