HEATH FAMILY. 267 



A. nltida, Bartr. Low pine barrens, N. C., S.; 2-4 high, very smooth, 

 with 3-angled branchlets, ovate or oblong, and entire glossy leaves, abun- 

 dant honey-scented flowers in numerous axillary clusters, and ovate- 

 cylindrical corolla. 



* * Flowers in naked one-sided racemes crowded at the ends of the 

 branches, formed in summer and opening early the next spring ; leaves 

 evergreen ; anthers awned. 



A. floribiinda, Pursh. 3-10 high, very leafy, the lance-oblong acute 

 leaves serrulate, with very fine bristly teeth, abundance of handsome 

 flowers, the ovate-urn-shaped corolla strongly 5-angled ; along the Alle- 

 ghanies S. , and planted. 



* * * Flowers in umbel-like clusters on wood of the previous year, in late 

 spring or early summer; leaves mostly deciduous, but often thickish or 

 coriaceous ; pods 5-angled by a prominent rib or ridge at the lines of 

 opening. 



*- Flowers J or more long, nodding, smooth, clustered mostly on leafless 

 shoots; stamens 2-awned, or toothed. Smooth ornamental shrubs, 

 2-4 high. 



A. speci6sa, Michx. Low barrens S., barely hardy N. in cultivation ; 

 with oval or oblong blunt and serrate leaves, often mealy-whitened ; 

 corolla open bell-shaped. 



A. Mariana, Linn. STAGGERBTJSH (the foliage said to poison lambs 

 and calves) . Low grounds E. and S. ; with glossy oval or oblong entire 

 veiny leaves, and leaf-like lanceolate sepals, half the length of the almost 

 cylindrical corolla. 



*- -- Flowers very small, with globular and scurfy-pubescent corolla; 

 stamens awnless. Busty pubescent or scurfy shrubs, 4-10 high. 



A. fermglnea, Walt. Low sandy grounds S. C., S., with thick and 

 rigid mostly evergreen, rusty, obovate leaves, the margins revolute. 



A. ligustrina, Muhl. Leaves thin and green, obovate-oblong j panicled 

 clusters of small flowers. Can., S. 



8. OXYDENDRUM, SORREL TREE, SOURWOOD. (Both the 



Greek-made and English names refer to the sour-tasted leaves.) 



O. arbdreum, DC. Rich woods, Penn. to Ind., and S. ; tree 15-40 

 high, smooth, with oblong-lanceolate, pointed, serrulate leaves (resem- 

 bling those of the Peach), on slender petioles, and white flowers in long 

 one-sided racemes clustered in a loose panicle at the end of the branches 

 of the season, in early summer. 



9. LEUCOTHOE. (Mythological name.) Flowers white, in naked 

 scaly-bracted racemes or spikes, which are formed in summer and 

 open the next year. 



* Evergreens on moist banks of streams, with very smooth and glossy, 

 finely and sharply serrate leaves ; the rather catkin-like dense racemes 

 sessile in their axils ; bractlets at the base of the short pedicels ; flowers 

 in spring, exhaling the scent of Chestnut blossoms. 



L. Catesbsei. Gray. Abounds from Va. S., along and near the moun- 

 tains ; has long recurving branches, ovate-lanceolate and very taper- 

 pointed leaves on >onspicuo!is petioles, and narrowish sepals. 



L. axillaria, F^OG. Broader, less pointed leaves, on very short petioles s 

 and broad-ovate sepals. Low country S. ; flowers very early. 



