ERICACEAE 241 



RHODODENDRON. Buds large, pointed, many-scaled, the terminal one 

 usually in centre of a group of radially arranged Is, Ls. alternate, entire. Fls. 

 usually large and showy, funnel-shaped or bell-shaped, usually in terminal clusters, 

 ovary 5-10-celled, with long style. Fruit a dry splitting capsule. 



(I) Deciduous or Half Evergreen; Stamens 



USUALLY five 



(Azalea Section) 



R. indiciim {Azalea indica). Indian Azalea. 6. May. Young shoots bristly. 



Ls. ov., obov., 3, bristly. Fls. 2, red, solitary or in pairs, anthers purple. 



China and Japan. (Fig. 122 h.) 

 R. Kaempferi [Azalea indica, variety Kaempferi). 10. May. Ls. ov., 2^, 



bristly. Fls. 2, red, in few-flowered terminal clusters, stamens yellow. 



Japan. 

 R. luteum {Azalea pontica). 10. May. Buds with sharply pointed scales. 



Ls. lane, 5, hairy on margins and midrib below. Fls. i\, yellow, in 



crowded clusters. Caucasus. (Fig. 122 j.) 

 R. molle {Azalea mollis). 8. April-May. Ls. lane, 4, dark green, slightly 



hairy. Fls. 3, pink or red, in clusters appearing before Is. Japan. 



(Fig. 122 K.) 

 R. occidentale {Azalea occidentalis). 8. June. Ls. ov., lane, 4, glossy green 



above, with scattered hairs. Fls. 3, white with yellow blotch, in terminal 



clusters appearing after Is. West North America. (Fig. 122 P.) 

 R. quinquefolium. 3. April-May. Ls. i|, in whorls of five at end of shoot. 



Fls. 1 1, white or pinkish, solitary or in pairs, stamens ten. Japan. 



(Fig. 70 K.) 

 R. Rhodora {Rhodora canadetisis). 4. April. Ls. ov., lane, 2, bristly above 



and on margins, downy or hairless below. Fls. i, rosy purple, 2-lipped, 



in lateral and terminal clusters, stamens ten. East North America. 



(Fig. 122 o.) 

 R. sinense {Azalea sinensis). Chinese Azalea. 8. April-May. Branchlets soft- 

 felted. Ls. lane, 4, velvety-felted below. Fls. 3, yellow, in clusters 



appearing before Is. China. (Fig. 122 n.) 



Many hybrids between this and R. molle in cultivation. 

 R. -viscosum {Azalea viscosa). Swamp Honeysuckle. 8. June. Ls. obov., 2, 



margins bristly. Fls. i, white or pink, covered with sticky hairs, in 



clusters. North America. (Fig. 122 M.) 



(II) Evergreen; Stamens usually ten 

 (Rhododendron Section) 



{a) Ls. with small scurfy scales on under surface 



R. Anthopogon. 2. April. Branchlets hairy. Ls. ov., i|, glossy green above, 

 brown scales below, aromatic when crushed. Fls. i, sulphur-yellow, in 

 small terminal clusters, stamens five to eight. Himalaya. (Fig. 122 L.) 



* R. arboreum. 40. February-March. Ls. lane, 7, silver scales below. Fls. 

 2, blood-red, in terminal hemispherical heads. Himalaya. (Fig. 123 c.) 

 Variety album. Fls. white; Is. rust-coloured below. 



