164 HEATH FAMILY 



the beautiful befaria to Florida. Nearly as common dur- 

 ing spring and summer as the fetterbush of this family 

 is during winter, this handsome shrub blooms abundantly 

 in many places through the wide pineland country, grow- 

 ing in many low groups of branching stems, and bearing 

 many slightly fragrant white flowers, tinged with pink 

 at the center. 



The number of petals — seven — is unusual, and is a fea- 

 ture by which the befaria is easily identified. The calyx 

 and flower buds are sticky, as though freshly varnished, and 

 small insects are caught on them. 



Befaria racemosa. Flowers white, about 2 in. across, in 

 terminal racemes. Calyx 7-toothed, petals 7, narrow, stamens 

 14. Shrub 2-5 ft. tall. Leaves evergreen, leathery, yellow- 

 ish green, oval or oblong, 1-2 in. long. Sandy soil. Blooming 

 in spring and summer. Fla. and southern Ga. 



Azalea viscosa. Swamp honeysuckle. Flowers white to 

 pink, sticky, 5-lobed, 1 in. across, somewhat 2-lipped, in 

 terminal clusters. Shrub 4-9 ft. tall. Leaves deciduous, 

 oblong or broadened upward, 1-3 in. long. Swamps. Bloom- 

 ing in spring and summer. Fla. to Texas, Ohio, and Me, 



Fetterbush and Staggerbush (Genus Pieris 



{Andromeda) ) 



The three-angled branches, evergreen bevel-edged leaves, 

 and small, rose-colored bell-shaped flowers of fetterbush, 

 P. nitida, are seen in widely different locations, for this 

 is one of our most common flowering shrubs of winter 

 and spring. In dry sand it shows a low stunted growth, 

 but in damp places it is sometimes twelve feet tall, and 

 where it is abundant the flowers often scent the air with 

 a faint sour odor. After the nodding flowers fall, the cap- 

 sules turn and remain upright. The large woody root is 

 dark red in color, and the shrub is locally known as 

 redroot. 



Staggerbush, P. mariana, begins to open its white 



