26.4 AZALEA. [CLASS v. ORDER i. 



downwards, and more or less downy. The anthers large, arrow- 

 shaped. Style longer than the stamens. Stigmas of two ovate downy 

 spreading lobes. Capsule roundish, large, of four lobes, single celled, 

 containing generally four large black dotted seeds. 



.Habitat. Sandy sea shores ; frequent. 



Perennial; flowering from June to August. 



The flowers only expand in the sunshine, and continue a short 

 time; but there is a continual succession of them for two or three 

 months. It is found on the sandy shore of almost all parts of the 

 European continent ; but has not, that we are aware of, been applied 

 to any useful purpose. 



GENUS XXI. AZA'LEA. LINN. Azalea. 

 Nat Ord. ERI'CEJE. Juss. 



GEN. CHAR. Calyx five-cleft. Corolla bell-shaped, regular. Stamens 

 straight, inserted at the base of the corolla. Anthem bursting 

 longtitudinally. Capsule two or three valved, two or three 

 celled, disseppiments formed by the inflexed margins of the bifid 

 valves. Seeds attached to a central, at length free, receptacle. 

 Name from o^aXjoj, parched, dry ; from the plants growing in 

 parched or dry situations. 



1. A. procumb'ens, Linn. (Fig. 346.) trailing Azalea. 

 English Botany, t. 865. English Flora, vol. i. p. 283. Hooker, 

 British Flora, vol. i. p. 113. Lindley, Synopsis, p. 172. 



A low shrubby plant, with long twisted branched dark roots, a much 

 branched and tortuous stem, smooth dark brown scaly bark. The 

 branches short, wiry, and leafy. The leaves rigid, ovate oblong, above 

 dark, smooth, shining, and channelled, the margins reflexed ; beneath 

 a pale glaucous green, with a broad pale smooth prominent mid-rib, a 

 continuation of the short broad footstalk, fringed with short hairs. 

 Inflorescence small terminal racemes. Flowers few, small, rose co- 

 loured, on short reddish stalks, each with a small orate convex bractea 

 at its base. Calyx of five, sometimes six, deeply divided oblong fleshy 

 purple segments. Corolla somewhat bell-shaped, its limb deeply 

 divided in five oblong obtuse spreading segments, mostly equal. 

 Stamens a little shorter than the corolla, with slender filaments inserted 

 at the base of the corolla, into a somewhat fleshy disk at the base of the 

 germeu. " Anthers of two oval cells, opening distinctly by a longti- 

 tudinal fissure, lead- coloured germen, upon a fleshy base or disk, 

 scarcely broader than itself, ovate, two or three celled. Style about 

 equal to it in length. Stigma capitate, obscurely lobed. Capsule 

 broadly ovate, with a somewhat spongy coat, purplish brown, opening 



