CLASS DECANDRIA. 103 



this genus, as a mere Pentandrous section, is now refer- 

 red the former genus Azalea of Linnaeus, well known in 

 many parts of the United States by the false name of 

 Honeysuckle. These, as well as the Pontic Azalea of 

 Asia, have all deciduous leaves ; but the decan- 

 drous kind, or true Rhododendrons, have semper- 

 virent leaves, and flowers more approaching to cam- 

 panulate, with the border less deeply cleft. The 

 character of the genus is to have a minute, 5-toothed 

 calyx ; a 5-cleft tubular, somewhat funnel-formed, 

 and rather irregular corolla, of which the uppermost, 

 central segment is always the largest, and frequently 

 spotted or deeper colored. The stamina 5 or 10, 

 are declinate ; the anthers opening each by 2 termi- 

 nal pores. The capsule 5-celled, 5-valved, opening 

 at the summit. 



Of Azaleas, or Pentandrous Rhododendrons, called 

 Honeysuckles, the most common in dryish, shady 

 woods throughout the middle states, is the R. nudi- 

 jlorum, which so richly decorates and perfumes our 

 woods in the month of May. In this species the 

 flowers precede the full developement of the leaves, 

 and present every shade of pink or rose-red nearly 

 to absolute white, often with a tinge of yellow in the 

 deeper colored centre of the larger upper segment of 

 the corolla. In the southern states this species occa- 

 sionally occurs of a perfect scarlet. This species is 

 closely allied to the Asiatic or yellow Pontic Azalea, 

 and the R. calendulaceum of the southern states and 

 mountains, is apparently a mere variety of the Pontic 

 kind. 



The next common species, always in shady swamps, 

 is the R. viscosum (formerly Azalea viscosa), or 

 Swamp Honeysuckle, of which there are several spon- 

 taneous varieties needlessly erected into species. In 

 this, the flowers are almost entirelv white, extremelv 



