No. sr. KALMIA- 



above, pale beneath, entire, acute at both ends, on short 

 petioles, and growing at the end of the branches in clus- 

 ters. Flowers very handsome, in terminal compound 

 corymbs, trichotome, pubescent viscid, wuth sm^ll su- 

 bulate tracteas. Flowers large, corolla of a rose colour, 

 tube short, limbus like a cup, with five short acute lobes, 

 ten long staminas, lodging their antlers in the ten cavi- 

 ties of the corolla. 



HISTORY. A beautiful genus of evergreen shrubs, 

 peculiar to North America, dedicated to Kalm, a Swedish 

 traveller and botanist^ several species belong to it, all 

 highly valued in gardens as ornamental: this is the 

 largest and most splendid. Their vernal blossoms are 

 beautiful, but scentless. The K latifolia grows all over 

 the mountains and hills of the United States. It pro- 

 duces many varieties, such as 1. Alba^ all the flowers 

 white. 2. Maeulata, with purple spots. 3. Ternatay 

 with teruate leaves- 4. Acuminata. 5. Ovatifolia^ 

 6. Arbor ea^ &c. 



It has been by many deemed poisonous to men and 

 cattle. It is certainly deleterious to horses, calves, and 

 sheep feeding on it in winter, because indigestible to 

 them. Sheep, if not soon relieved by oil, will swell 

 and die. Yet deer and goats feed on the leaves, and can 

 digest them. The American partridge, feeding on the 

 buds in the winter, is said by some to become deleterious 

 as food. Bees collect honey on the flowers. The wood 

 is soft when fresh, but becomes hard and dense, nearly 

 similar to box, much used for tools, instruments, and 

 spoons. The Kalmia grows very slow, and lives a cen- 

 tury or more. 



All the species of this genus having equal properties, 

 ought to be slightly mentioned. 



2. K. angustifolia^ or Sheep Laurel. Leaves temate, 

 oblong, obtuse, rusty beneath. 



3. K. glaucay or Swamp Laurel. Leaves opposite, 

 oblong, glaucous beneath. 



4. K. rosmarinifolia. Leaves opposite, linear, revo- 



lute, green beneath. 



6, K. cuneala. Leaves scattered, sessile, caneate, 



oblong, pubescent beneath, tn Carolina, &c. 



B 2 



