ERICACEA. 
SILVA OF NORTH AMERICA. 145 
in the miocene rocks of central Europe,’ where the genus is now poorly represented by two species 
which have been able to retain here only an alpine foothold. 
Rhododendron possesses bitter, astringent, and narcotic properties. A decoction of the leaves of 
Ehododendron chrysanthum? is employed in Siberia in the treatment of rheumatism and other affec- 
tions of the jomts and muscles,’ and is now used in some European countries for the same purpose.’ 
The buds of hododendron ferrugineum are used in northern Italy in the preparation of an anti-rheu- 
matic liniment ;° and in the United States a decoction of the leaves of Rhododendron maximum is 
occasionally used domestically for the same purpose. The flowers of Rhododendron flavum® are 
believed to be poisonous and to have caused the madness of Xenophon’s Ten Thousand ;7 and in India 
honey made in the spring where Rhododendrons abound is believed to be dangerous. The flowers of 
the Himalayan Rhodondedron arboreum,? which are said to be slightly intoxicating, are eaten fresh 
or made into a conserve,” but its flower-buds and young leaves are thought to be poisonous to cattle. 
In Sikkim goats and sheep die from the effects of browsing on the foliage of Rhododendron cinna- 
The leaves of 
Rhododendron Afghanicum” are injurious to browsing animals and are considered poisonous to the 
touch by the natives.” 
snuff,” and the leaves of Rhododendron lepidotum” and of Rhododendron Anthopogon™ as stimu- 
barinum,” and the smoke produced by its burning wood inflames the face and eyes. 
The dried leaves of Rhododendron campanulatum™ are used in India as 
lants."* In China the leaves of different species of Rhododendron are employed to adulterate tea.” 
Rhododendron produces hard close-grained compact wood; in India that of Rhododendron 
arboreum is used in building, in turnery, and for fuel and charcoal; and in Japan Rhododendron 
wood is manufactured into many small articles. 
Many species of Rhododendrons are cultivated in gardens, and during the last fifty years great 
attention has been paid to improving them by selection and cross-breeding. 
1 Zittel, Handb. Paleontolog. ii. 728, f. 378. 
? Pallas, Reise, iii. 369 ; Appx. 729, t. N. f.1, 2 (1776); Fl. Ross. 
i. 44, t. 30. —Linneus f. Syst. ed. 13, Suppl. 237. — Hayne, Arzn. 
x. 27, t. 27. — Guimpel, Otto & Hayne, Adbbild. Holz. 148, t. 123. — 
Nees von Esenbeck, Pl. Med. t. 216.— De Candolle, Prodr. vii. 
723, — Ledebour, Fl. Ross. ii. 920.— Turezaninow, Fl. Baicalensi- 
Dahurica, ii. pt. ii. 205. — Maximowicz, Prim. Fl. Amur. 189 ; 
Mém. Acad. Sci. St. Pétersbourg, sér. 7, xvi. 20 (Rhododendree 
Asie Orientalis).— Miyabe, Mem. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist. iv. 247 (Fl. 
Kurile Islands). 
Rhododendron aureum, Georgi, Reise, 214 (1775). 
Rhododendron officinale, Salisbury, Parad. Lond. i. pt. ii. t. 
80 (1806). 
8 Gmelin, Fl. Sibir. iv. 123, t. 54. — Pallas, Reise, ii. 531. 
4 Woodville, Med. Bot. iii. 403, t. 149. — Rosenthal, Syn. Pl. 
Diaphor. 521. . 
5 Le Maout & Decaisne, Traité Gén. Bot. English ed. 517. 
6 Don, Gen. Syst. iii. 847 (1834). — Loudon, Arb. Brit. ii. 1140. 
Azalea Pontica, Linnzeus, Spec. 150 (1753). — Pallas, Fl. Ross. 
ii. 51, t. 69. — Bot. Mag. xiii. 433 ; 1. t. 2383. — Savi, Flora Ita- 
liana, iii. t. 107. —Guimpel, Otto & Hayne, J. c. 135, t. 109. — 
De Candolle, J. v. 718. 
Rhododendron Ponticum, Schreber, Nov. Act. Upsal. i. 90 (not 
Linneus) (1773). 
Anthodendron flavum, Reichenbach, Moessler Handb. Gewiichsk. 
ed. 2, i. 309 (1827). 
7 The Expedition of Cyrus into Persia and the Retreat of the Ten 
Thousand Greeks, Spelman, ed. 3, i. Book iv. 358. — Pallas, J. c. 
i. 43; ii. 51.—C. Wolley Dod, Gard. Chron. n. ser. xx. 793. 
8 Hooker f. Himalayan Journals, i. 190. 
9 Smith, Exot. Bot. i. 9, t. 6 (1804). — Hooker, Ezot. Fi. iii. t. 
*! The natural species most 
168. — Bot. Reg. xi. t. 890; xv. t. 1240; xxiii. t. 1982. — De Can- 
dolle, J. c. 720. —Bot. Mag. lxxxviii. t. 5811. — Kurz, Forest Fl. Brit. 
Burm. ii. 93. — Hooker f. Fl. Brit. Ind. iii. 465. 
10 Brandis, Forest Fl. Brit. Ind. 281. 
11 Hooker f. Rhododendrons of the Sikkim-Himalaya, t. 8; Fl. Brit. 
Ind. iii. 474. — Bot. Mag. |xxx. t. 4788. 
12 Aitchison & Hemsley, Jour. Linn. Soc. xviii. 75. 
18 Aitchison, Jour. Linn. Soc. xviii. 12, 26 (1881). 
44D. Don, Edinb. Wern. Soc. Mem. ii. 409 (1820). — Sweet, 
Brit. Fl. Gard. vi. t. 241.— De Candolle, 7. c. 721.— Bot. Mag. 
Ixvi. t. 3759. — Hooker f. Fl. Brit. Ind. iii. 466. 
Rhododendron eruginosum, Hooker f. Rhododendrons of the 
Sikkim-Himalaya, t. 22 (1849). 
18 Brandis, J. c. 282. 
16 Don, J. c. iii. 845 (1834). — Royle, Jil. 260, t. 64, f. 1.— De 
Candolle, J. c. 724. — Bot. Mag. Ixxviii. t. 4657; lxxx. t. 4802. — 
Hooker f. Fl. Brit. Ind. iu. 471. 
Rhododendron salignum, Hooker f. Rhododendrons of the Sikkim- 
Himalaya, t. 23 A (1849). 
Rhododendron eleagnoides, Hooker f. 1. c. t. 23 B (1849). 
1 D. Don, J. c. (1820). — Royle, J. c. t. 64, f. 2. — De Candolle, 
1. c. 725. — Bot. Mag. Ixviii. t. 3947. Hooker f. Fl. Brit. Ind. iu. 
472. 
18 Brandis, J. c. 
19 Spons, Encyclopedia of the Industrial Arts, Manufactures, and 
Raw Commercial Products, u. 2010. 
20 Brandis, J. c.— Gamble, Jfan. Ind. Timbers, 236. 
21 One of the earliest hybrid Rhododendrons whose history is 
recorded was produced in the nursery of a Mr. Thompson of Mile 
End, near London, about 1820, by the accidental crossing of Rh. 
dodendron Ponticum with some species with deciduous leaves and 
