Clethra acuminata Michx.

Shrubs to 6 m. Stems ± terete; young shoots glabrous. Leaves: petiole (2-)2.3-3.5(-4.5) cm; blade ovate, elliptic, or slightly obovate (widest at or near midpoint), (5-)11-13(-15) × (3-)5-7(-9) cm, base narrowly cuneate to rounded, margins distinctly toothed (proximalmost tooth averaging 2.4 cm distal to base), apex acuminate, surfaces glabrous or with few stellate hairs and glabrescent abaxially, glabrous adaxially. Inflorescences solitary, (8-)10-16(-20) cm, axis densely stellate-hairy. Pedicels 2-6(-11) mm, proximalmost averaging 4.5 mm, stellate-hairy; bract longer than flower, stellate-hairy. Flowers: sepals 3.5-5 × 1-1.5 mm, stellate-hairy; petals white, 6-8(-8.5) × 4-5 mm; filaments 4-6 × 0.2-0.3 mm, glabrous or with scattered, simple, straight or crinkled hairs to 0.7 mm; anthers ca. 2 mm; style 7-9 mm, glabrous. Capsules subglobose, 2.5-4 × 3.5-5.3 mm. Seeds 0.7-1 mm. 2n = 32.