4^ ANDHOMSD A. No. 5. 



dulate, entire, or sometimes serrulate, nerve with 

 regular veins, surface smooth^ glossy, green above, 

 glaucous beneath, the young leaves are slightly 



downy at first. 



Flowers white, terminal, one third of an inch long, 

 forming a large, loose panicle, composed of many 

 long and loose racemes, bearing each from twelve to 

 twenty flowers pedunculate, alternate and secund 

 Calix small, greenish, with five acute teeth — Corolla 

 pubescent ovate with five acute teeth — Stamina and 

 Pistil inside of the Corolla; ten equal filaments, an- ^ 

 thers small mutic linear — Pistil one, germ oval, 

 style pentagonal persistent, stigma obtuse — Capsuls 

 ovate mucronate, reddish brown, with five cells con- 

 taining many small subulate seeds, imbricate and 

 membranaceous. 



HISTORY— The Genus .Andromeda belongs to 

 the natural order of Ericides or extensive heath 

 tribe; and to Decandkia Monogi/nia of Linnaeus. 

 The name is poetical or mythological, being dedicated 

 to the Nymph Andromeda. 



T4iis species is the largest and the only tree of the 

 genus, whence its specific name ; all the others being 

 shrubs, many of which are ornamental like this, and 

 mostly native of North America. This tree attains 

 its largest size in the most southern states ; but be- 

 comes almost a shrub in Tennessee and Kentucky* 

 It blossoms in May. 



The common names of this tree have all a reference 

 to the acidity of the leaves and w ood. The elk and 

 deer eat tiiose leaves, and even cattle like them* 



