FLOWEEING TEEES AND SHEUBS 153 



E. DAHURICUM. Dahuria, 1780. A small-growing, 

 scraggy-looking species of about a yard high, with oval- 

 oblong leaves that are rusty-tomentose on the undersides. 

 The flowers, which are produced in February, are purple or 

 violet, in twos or threes, and usually appear before the 

 leaves. It is a sparsely-leaved species, and of greatest 

 value on account of the flowers being produced so early in 

 the season. One of the hardiest species in cultivation. 

 E. dahuricum atro-virens is a beautiful and worthy variety 

 because nearly evergreen. 



E. DILITATUM. Japan, 1855. This is of dwarf growth 

 though spreading considerably, with reddish-tinted leaves 

 and rose-coloured flowers. It is a beautiful, hardy species. 



E. FEERUGINEUM. Alpine Eose. Europe, 1752. This 

 dwarf species, rarely exceeding a yard in height, occurs in 

 abundance on the Swiss Alps, and generally where few 

 other plants are to be found. It is a neat little compact 

 shrub, with oblong-lanceolate leaves that are rusty-scaly 

 on the undersides, and has terminal clusters of rosy-red 

 flowers. There are several varieties, including myrti- 

 folium, erectum, and hybridum. 



E. FLAVUM (syn Azalea pontica). Pontic Azalea. A 

 native of Asia Minor (1793), is probably the commonest of 

 the recognized species, and may frequently, in this country, 

 be seen forming good round bushes of 6 feet in height, with 

 hairy lanceolate leaves and large yellow flowers, though in 

 this latter it varies considerably, orange and orange tinged 

 with red being colours often present. It is of free growth 

 in any good light peaty or sandy soil. 



E. HIRSUTUM. Alpine Eose. South Europe, 1656. Very 

 near E. ferrugineum, but having ciliated leaves, with glands 

 on both sides. E. hallense and E. hirsutiforme are inter- 

 mediate forms of a natural cross between E. hirsutum 

 and E. ferrugineum. They are handsome, small-growing, 

 brightly-flowered plants, and worthy of culture. 



E. INDICUM. Indian Azalea. A native of China (1808), 



