Sccevola.] goodeniace^. 199 



the tropics, and occasionally in the West Indies ; but the commonest species there is the 

 S. Plumieri, differing in the calyx-limb entire or nearly so. Although occurring also on 

 several tropical Asiatic coasts, the latter species has not been found in Hongkong. 



Ordek LXIII. ERICACEAE. 



Calyx of 4 or 5 divisions, either free or with a tube adnate to the ovary. 

 Corolla inferior or superior, usually ovoid or globular, sometimes elongated or 

 campanulate, with 4 or 5 lobes, or very rarely 4 or 5 distinct petals, regular 

 or slightly irregular. Stamens twice as many, or rarely of the same number 

 as the lobes of the corolla, and inserted within the corolla but distinct from it. 

 Anthers 2-celled, opening at the top in pores or short oblique slits, very rarely 

 extending to the base of the cells. Ovary having usually as many cells (rarely 

 apparently twice as many) as the lobes of the corolla, rarely reduced to 3 or 

 2, with one or several ovules in each. Fruit a capsule or berry. Seeds very 

 small, with a fleshy albumen. — Shrubs sometimes veiy low, creeping, and 

 almost herbaceous, or occasionally growing into small trees, very rarely true 

 herbs. Leaves entire or toothed, undivided, usually alternate. Flowers 

 either axillary and solitary, or in short clusters or racemes, or forming termi- 

 nal racemes, corymbs, clusters, or heads. 



A large Order, widely spread over the whole world (if considered as including the Australian 

 Epacridce), especially in the temperate and colder regions, but not uncommon also in hilly 

 districts within the tropics. The four Hongkong genera belong to three distinct Tribes, often 

 considered as independent Orders. 



Tribe 1. Vacciniese. Ovary inferior. Fruit a berry or drupe 1. Vaccinium. 

 Tribe 2. Andromedese. Ovary superior. Fruit a capsule 

 opening in loculicidal valves. (Corolla campanulate, drooping) . . 2. Enkyanthus. 



Tribe 3. Rhodorese. Ovary superior. Fruit a capsule open- 

 ing in septicidal valves. (Corolla slightly irregular.) 



Stamens 5, rarely 8 to 10. Leaves small, deciduous .... 4. Azalea. 

 Stamens 10. Leaves evergreen 3. Rhododendron. 



1. VACCINIUM, Lindl. 



Calyx-tube adnate, the limb of 4 or 5 teeth. Corolla superior, ovate, cam- 

 panulate or shortly cylindrical ; the limb of 4 or 5 short lobes or teeth. Stamens 

 8 or 10. Anther-cells opening in oblique pores at the top of their tubular 

 points. Ovary inferior, 4- or 5-celled, with several ovules in # each cell. Fruit 

 a berry. — Shrubs or rarely small trees. Leaves alternate. 



A numerous genus, widely distributed over mountainous or boggy regions, chiefly in the 

 northern hemisphere, but occurring also in southern as well as in tropical mountains. 



1. V. chinense, Champ, in Kew Journ. Bot. iv. 297. A shrub or small 

 tree, very much branched. Leaves evergreen, ovate or oblong, rather acute, 

 and slightly toothed, 1 to 1^ in. long, or smaller in some specimens, glabrous 

 as well as the branches, narrowed into a petiole of 1 to 2 lines. Racemes 

 terminal or in the upper axils, usually shorter than the leaves. Bracts some- 

 times leafy, and 3 or 4 lines long, sometimes small and linear. Flowers white, 

 nodding, scarcely 3 lines long, on very short pedicels. Calyx hairy. Corolla 

 ovoid or nearly cylindrical, pubescent outside, with short spreading teeth. 



