I 04 CLASS DECANDRIA. 



fragrant, externally covered with a clammy or viscid 

 pubescence, and never make their appearance until 

 about June, when the leaves have attained their full 

 growth. This species is almost the only one from 

 Massachusetts to the north, and is not, 1 believe, un- 

 common in Canada. 



Of the Rhododendrons, properly so called, our 

 most common species, in mountainous, shady Fir, or 

 Hemlock woods, is the R. maximum, called in many 

 places Mountain Laurel. This is an evergreen, large 

 leaved shrub, 10 to 15 feet high. In the mountains 

 of North Carolina it is in such abundance as to 

 form very extensive, and almost impenetrable thick- 

 ets. From hence it prevails throughout the mountain 

 tracts, at length descends towards the sea-coast, and 

 finally disappears beyond the islands of Massachusetts 

 bay. This species unfolds its splendid clusters of 

 flowers about June or July. They are of various 

 shades of pink, and sometimes nearly white, but 

 without fragrance, as in all the other genuine Rhodo- 

 dendrons. 



On the summit of the Catawba mountains, in North 

 Carolina, is found a peculiar species of this genus 

 (R. catawbiense), growing much lower than the com- 

 mon kind, with broader and shorter leaves almost of 

 a silvery whiteness beneath ; the flowers are also large, 

 and of a bright reddish purple, somewhat like those 

 of the Pontic Rhododendron. 



On the highest, swampy depressions of the White 

 Mountains of New Hampshire, exists also the dwarf 

 Lapland Rhododendron (R. lapponicum), only a few 

 inches high, characterised by its elliptical leaves, 

 roughened beneath with excavated punctures, in 

 which respect it somewhat approaches the R. puncta- 

 turn of the mountains and hills of the southern states. 



Nearly allied to Rhododendron, and of the same 



