CHAP. vii.J RHODOREjE. 125 



it flowers in March. The species has rose- 

 coloured flowers which appear before the leaves; 

 and leaves which turn red in autumn before they 

 fall. The roots are knobbed and fibrous ; and 

 the stems are twisted and knobbed in a wild 

 state. There is a variety R. d. atrovirens 

 which has purple flowers, and evergreen leaves, 

 and which is hardier than the species. 



The genus Azalea may be divided into three 

 kinds, viz., A. indica and its allied species ; A. 

 pontica and its varieties and hybrids ; and the 

 American Azaleas. These divisions are easily 

 distinguished by their flowers. Those of the 

 Indian or Chinese Azaleas have all large showy 

 flowers, on short downy footstalks, and they 

 are produced in small clusters of only two or 

 three flowers each, at the extremity of the 

 shoots. The corollas are bell-shaped and deeply 

 cut, nearly to the base, into broad spreading 

 segments. The stamens are ten in number, 

 shorter than the corolla, and of unequal length. 

 The leaves are evergreen, and they are numerous, 

 thickly set and downy. These Azaleas are all 

 very handsome, but the white Indian Azalea 

 {A. indica alba^ or A, ledifolia) is particularly 

 so, and very fragrant. The species belonging 

 to this division are mostly natives of China, and 

 require either a greenhouse or some slight pro- 

 tection during winter in England. 



