134 KALMIA LATIF OLIA. 
and it is said to extend near to the southern lim- 
its of the Union. Michaux, in his account of the 
forest trees, states, that it is particularly abundant 
through the whole range of Allegany mountains, 
upon the borders and near the sources of rivers. 
It gradually diminishes however on both sides as 
these rivers approach to the sea, or to their con- 
fluence with the great western streams. 
The botanical character of the genus consists 
in a five parted calyx, a hypocrateriform corolla, 
containing ten depressions in its border, in which 
the anthers are lodged ; a capsule five celled. 
The specifie character is, that the leaves are 
scattered, petioled, oval and smooth ; the corymbs 
terminal, viscid and pubescent, 
Class Decandria, order Monogynia. Natural 
orders Bicornes, Linn. Rhododendra, Juss. — »,; Bis oat 
The height of the Kalmia latifolia is generally 
that of a shrub, sometimes however attaining to 
the altitude of a small tree. Its leaves are ey- 
ergreen, coriaceous, very smooth, with the under 
side somewhat palest. Their form is oval, acute 
and entire ; their insertion by seattered petioles, on 
the. sides and extremities of the branches. The 
flowers vary from white to red; they grow in termi- 
nal corymbs, simple or compound with opposite 
branches, and made up of slender peduncles. These 
