Jamesia Torr. & Gray (1840), the Cliffbush or Waxflower, in the family Hydrangeaceae, contains 1 species, J. americana Torr. & Gray in southwestern North America, and 2 varieties.

Description Shrubs to 2m, with peeling bark. The leaves are opposite, deciduous, greyish-hairy, rugose, and toothed, sometimes colouring orange-red in autumn. The flowers are small, white or pale pink, in a loose head. Sepals 5, joined at the base, petals 5, rounded, equal. Stamens 10, with 5 long and 5 shorter. Ovary more or less superior. Carpels 3–5, fused, with numerous ovules; styles 3–5, not joined. Pollination is by insects. The fruits are conic capsules, topped by the styles, with numerous seeds with a netted skin.

Key Recognition Features The leaves with deeply impressed veins, downy beneath, distinguish this from Deutzia, which otherwise looks similar. It also differs in having a more or less superior ovary.

Evolution and Relationships Three other genera related to Jamesia and Deutzia are found in southwestern North America: Fendlera Englm. & A. Gray, from Colorado to Texas and Arizona, has 2 species with 4 petals like a Maltese cross and 8 stamens; Fendlerella Heller, from California to Texas, has 3 species with 5 petals and 10 stamens; Whipplea Torr., from California to Oregon, has one species, a small, almost herbaceous plant with tight heads of small flowers and few-seeded fruits.

Ecology and Geography Grows among rocks in dry pine and juniper woods in the mountains at up to 3600m in California, Nevada, and Utah.

Comment A modest shrub, sometimes grown in botanic gardens, named after Dr Edwin James (1797–1861), a member of Major Long’s expedition to the Rocky Mountains in 1820.

Jamesia americana Torr. & Gray (Saxifragaceae)
Native of New Mexico, west to California, north to Wyoming, in canyons and by streams at 2200-3600 m, flowering in May-June. Deciduous many-stemmed shrub to 1.5 m. Flowers 1.5 cm across, rarely pink. Full sun. Hardy to -20°C. Early summer.