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Spiraea (Old Greek name used)

(the old Greek name used by Theophrastus, probably from speiras, to wind; alluding to the fitness of the plants for forming into garlands). Meadow-sweet. ORD. Rosaceae. A genus comprising about fifty species of handsome (mostly deciduous and hardy) shrubs, subshrubs, or herbs, broadly dispersed over the temperate and sub-frigid regions of the Northern hemisphere, rarely found in the tropics. Flower pink or white, axillary or terminal, variously clustered; calyx persistent, with an urceolate, campanulate, or concave tube, and a limb of four or five imbricated or valvate lobes; petals four or five, rounded, shortly clawed; stamens twenty to sixty, in one, two, or three series. Leaves alternate, simple or pinnate, or twice or thrice ternate; stipules free, or adnate in a sheath at the bases of the petioles, rarely obsolete. The shrubby species succeed in almost any soil in open situations. The perennials prefer moist places and loamy soil, particularly S. palmata and S. Ulmaria, which succeed well by the side of water. Shrubby Spiraeas are propagated by cuttings of the young wood, inserted in sandy soil, and kept close and shaded until rooted; or by means of the root-offsets which are so freely produced by most of the species. The perennials may be increased by divisions.

S. acutifolia (acute-leaved). A synonym of S. hypericifolia acuta. S. alba (white). A synonym of S. salicifolia paniculata. S. alpina (alpine). fl. White; sepals ascending; corymbs terminal, stalked, and in many instances leafless, large in proportion to the leaves, June and July. l. oblong-lanceolate, sessile, serrulated, glabrous; midrib branched. h. 4ft. to 6ft. Siberia, 1806.

S. amurensis (Amur). A synonym of Neillia amurensis. S. ariaefolia (White-bean-leaved). A synonym of S. discolor arioefolia. S. Aruncus (Aruncus). Goat's Beard. fl. whitish, in many slender spikes, disposed in a long, compound panicle. June. l. thrice-pinnate; leaflets thin, lanceolate-oblong, or the terminal ones ovate-lanceolate, taper-pointed, sharply cut and serrated. h. 4ft. Northern hemisphere, 1633. herbaceous perennial.

S. A. americana (American). A form with the interrupted male flowers scarcely larger than the female ones. Follicles more than twice as long as broad. North America, Japan, and China. In the Japanese Alps, this sometimes occurs only 1ft. in height.

S. A. triternate (triternate). fl., carpels twice (often more than three times) as long as broad. l. frequently clothed with ashy pubescence beneath. Himalaya.

S. astilboides (Astilbe-like). fl. white, in spicate panicles. Summer. Japan. In general aspect, this species resembles S. Aruncus, but it is considerably dwarfer in stature, and much more graceful in character. A handsome perennial., for which we are indebted to Mr. Wm. Bull. S. barbata (bearded). A synonym of Astilbe japonica. S. bella (pretty). fl. of a beautiful red colour; calyx lobes deflexed; cymes terminal, spreading, and, as well as the rated, petiolate, glaucous beneath. Stems glabrous, rufous. h. 2ft. to 3ft. Himalaya, 1820. (B. M. 2426.) S. betulifolia (Birch-leaved). fl. Creamy-white; corymbs large, flat, several times compound. June. l. simple, oval or ovate, cut-toothed towards the apex; stipules obsolete. h. 1ft. to 2ft. Northeastern Asia and North America, 1819. Shrub nearly smooth, SYN. S. corymbosa (L. B. C. 671). S. Blumei (Blume's). fl. White; cymes pedunculate, terminal, and, as well as the calyx, glabrous. l. obovate, obtuse, deeply toothed at the apex, rather smooth. h. 3ft. to 6ft. Japan. (B. H. 1858, 37, f. 2.) S. Boursierii (Boursier de la Riviere's). A synonym of S. discolor dumosa. S. caespitosa (tufted). fl. White, densely spicate-racemose. Summer. l. small, silky, entire; radical ones rosulate, spathulate; cauline ones linear, minute. h. 6in. Northern Mexico, Nevada, &c.

S. callosa (Callous-leaved). A synonym of S. japonica. S. c. alba (white). A synonym of S. japonica alba.

S. c. rosea (rosy). A synonym of S. japonica splendens. S. c. superba (superb). A synonym of S. japonica superba. s. cana (hoary-leaved). fl. White; sepals spreading; styles thick; corymbs somewhat racemose, the lateral ones pedunculate, loosely few-flowered. June and July. l. ovate, 1/2 in. to 1 1/2in. long, acute, quite entire or slightly toothed, hoary-villous. h. 1ft. to 2ft. Croatia, 1825. S. canescens (hoary). fl. pale pink or white; corymbs crowded, and, as well as the branches, tomentose. Summer. l. oval or obovate, obtuse, stalked, quite entire, villous. Himalaya, 1879. An erect branched, canescent shrub, with the habit of S. hypericifolia.

S. cantoniensis (Canton).* fl. white and showy, disposed in terminal umbels. Early summer. l. small, simple, lanceolate, three-lobed, deeply toothed. h. 3ft. to 4ft. Japan, 1843. A glabrous, hardy, evergreen shrub. SYN. S. Reevesiana (B. R. XXX. 10). There is a double-flowered variety of this species in cultivation, which is highly desirable. (F. d. S. 1097.) S. ceanothifolia (Ceanothus-leaved). A synonym of S. chamaedrifolia. S. chamaedrifolia (Germander-leaved). fl. white, disposed in hemispherical corymbs; sepals reflexed; pedicels slender, elongated. June and July. l. ovate, deeply serrated at the apex, pubescent, h. 1ft. to 2ft. South-eastern Europe to Japan, &c., 1789. SYN. S. ceanothifolia.

S. c. flexuosa (flexuous). fl. generally smaller than those of the type. l. elliptic-lanceolate, unequally serrated, hardly incised. Eastern Siberia, &c. SYN. S. flexuosa.

S. c. ulmifolia (Elm-leaved). fl. white, disposed in nearly hemispherical, terminal corymbs; sepals reflexed. June and July. l. ovate-lanceolate, acute, flat, sharply serrated, glabrous. h. 3ft. to 5ft. Siberia, &c., 1790. A handsome shrub. (B. R. 1222 and L. B. C. 1042, under name of S. chamaedrifolia.) S. chinensis (Chinese) fl. pure white, small, slightly fragrant, arranged in small, hemispherical corymbs. March. l. ovate-oblong, 1 1/2in. long, acute, much wrinkled, deeply serrated, sub-trilobed, beneath, as well as on the branches, pubescent. h. 2ft. Central China, 1843. SYN. S. pubescens, of Lindley (B. R. xxxiii. 38).

S. confuse (confused). A synonym of S. media. S. corymbosa (corymbose). A synonym of S. betulifolia.

S. crenifolia (crenate-leaved). fl. white, in many-flowered, racemose corymbs, generally subtended by foliaceous bracts; stamens longer than the petals.