MOUNTAIN LAUREL. _ £35 
are invested with a glutinous pubescence, and sup- 
ported at base by ovate, acuminate bractes. The 
calyx is small, five parted, persistent, with oval, a- 
cute segments. The corolla is monopetalous, with 
a cylindrical tube, a spreading disc, and an erect, five 
cleft margin. At the circumference of the dise 
on the inside, are ten depressions or pits, accom- 
panied with corresponding prominences on the 
outside. In these depressions the anthers are 
found lodged at the time when the flower expands. 
The stamens originate from the base of the corol- 
la, and bend outwardly, so as to lodge their an- 
thers in the cells of the corolla. From this con- 
finement they liberate themselves during the pe- 
riod of flowering and strike against the sides of 
the stigma. The germ is roundish, the style lon- 
ger than the corolla and declined, the stigma ob- 
tuse. Capsule roundish, depressed, five celled 
and five valved, with numerous small seeds. | 
I have examined chemically the leaves of the 
Kalmia, gathered at the time the shrub was in 
fruit. The following constituent —— were 
found to exist in them. ; 
1. Vegetable mucus. This exists in large quan- 
tities, and is dissolved in water both by infusion 
and decoction, rendering it extremely mucilagi- 
nous or ropy. When alcohol is added to this so- 
