Spiraea

Spiraea, a large genus belonging to the order Rosaceae, including both herbaceous and shrubby perennial plants, natives of the extra-tropical parts of the northern hemisphere. Their leaves are generally stipulate; their flowers small in large anthelae; the calyx persistent; the stamens indefinite in number; and the fruit a ring of five or more follicles. There are two British species: S. Ulmaria, the meadowsweet, and S. Filipendula, the dropwort, and numerous Japanese, Chinese, and other species are grown in our gardens; but the Japanese plant, commonly sold as Spiraea japonica, is truly Astilbe barbata, and belongs to the order Saxifragaceae. It has a cluster of long stiff hairs at the base of the stalk of its tri-ternate leaves, and was at one time named Hoteia in honour of a Japanese botanist Ho-tei.