97 
AZALEA obtusa. 
Blunt-leaved Azalea. 
DECANDRIA MONOGYNIA. 
Nat. ord. Erıcacex. (Heataworts, Vegetable Kingdom, p. 453.) 
AZALEA. L. 
A. obtusa ; foliis pilosis oblongis obtusis cum mucronulo basi angustatis, 
floribus solitariis pentandris, sepalis patulis triangularibus villosis, corolla 
laciniis acutis haud imbricantibus. — Lindley in Journal of the Horticul- 
tural Society, vol. |, part 2. p. 149. 
This remarkable species was sent to the Garden of the 
Horticultural Society by Mr. Fortune, July 26, 1844, as an 
Azalea, from Shanghae, with fine deep red flowers. lts 
intelligent and indefatigable discoverer regards it as an acqui- 
sition of great importance, and we agree with him in thinking 
it a most valuable species; for in addition to other merits it 
has that of being sweet-scented like Sweet Brier. 
In the Journal of the Horticultural Society we find the 
following account of it:— 
“ This charming shrub may be regarded as the gayest of 
all the red Chinese Azaleas in cultivation. Itisa little bush, 
with very blunt leaves, both smaller and narrower in propor- 
tion than we find upon the species already in our gardens, 
and also smaller flowers, of the most glowing red. The 
latter have uniformly 5 stamens only, the characteristic mark 
of the genus Azalea, and thus seem to show that the addi- 
tional number hitherto remarked in the Chinese species is a 
mere result of cultivation. The segments of the corolla are 
nearly oval and sharp-pointed ; the upper one is not much 
smaller than the others, and is faintly blotched with purple. 
“ Its high northern latitude would seem to indicate that 
this plant may be hardy, but it has hitherto been treated as a 
greenhouse shrub. 
