The New International Encyclopædia/Spiræa

SPIRÆA (Lat., from Gk. σπειραία, speiraia, meadow-sweet, from σπεῖρα, speira, coil, twist, spire; so called from the sliape of the follicles). A large genus of herbs and low deciduous shrubs of the natural order Rosaceæ, natives of the Northern Hemisphere. Dropwort (Spiræa filipendula) and meadow-sweet or queen of the meadow (Spiræa ulmaria) are European species. Two other species are shown on the accompanying plate. Many species are cultivated in shrubberies for their flowers.