Genus LYONIA, Mitt. 
Ericaceae. Decandria Monogynia. 
Syst. Nat. Syst. Lin, 
Synonymes. 
Lyonia, Andromeda, Of Authors. 
Derivations. This genus was named Lyonia, in commemoration of Mr. John Lyon, an indefatigable English collector of 
North American plants, who fell a victim to a dangerous epidemic amidst those savage and romantic mountains which had so 
often been the theatre of his labours. Andromeda was the name of the daughter of Cephalus, king of Ethiopia. She was lied 
naked to a rock, and exposed to be devoured by a sea-monster to appease the wrath of Neptune ; but was delivered by Perseus, 
who afterwards married her, and they had many children. The following reasons for the application of the name of Andromeda 
to this genus of plants are extracted from Linnaeus' " Lachesis Lapponica" : "Andromeda polifolia," says Linnseus, " was now 
(June 12,) in its highest beauty, decorating the marshy grounds in a most agreeable manner. The flowers are quite blood-red 
before they expand ; but, when full grown, the corolla is of a flesh-colour. Scarcely any painter's art can so happily imitate the 
beauty of a fine female complexion ; still less could any artificial colour upon the face itself bear a comparison with this lovely 
blossom. As I contemplated it, I could not help thinking of Andromeda, as described by the poets: and the more I meditated 
upon their descriptions, the more applicable they seemed to the little plant before me ; so that, if these writers had it in view, 
they could scarcely have contrived a more apposite fable. Andromeda is represented by them as a virgin of most exquisite and 
unrivalled charms; but these charms remain in perfection only so long as she retains her virgin purity, which is also appli- 
cable to the plant now preparing to celebrate its nuptials. This plant is always fixed on some little turfy hillock in the midst 
of the swamps, as Andromeda herself was chained to a rock in the sea, which bathed her feet, as the fresh water does the 
roots of this plant. Dragons and venomous serpents surrounded her, as toads and other reptiles frequent the abode of her vege- 
table resembler, and, when they pair in the spring, throw mud and water over its leaves and branches. As the distressed virgin 
cast down her blushing face through excessive affliction, so does this rosy-coloured flower hang its head, growing paler and pale* 
till it withers away. Hence, as this plant forms a new genus, I have chosen for it the name of Andromeda." Our great mas- 
ter has drawn this fanciful analogy still further in his "Flora Lapponica." "At length," says he, "comes Perseus, in the 
shape of summer, dries up the surrounding water, and destroys the monsters, rendering the damsel a fruitful mother, who then 
carries her head (the oapsule) erect." 
Generic Characters. Calyx 5-parted. Carolla ovate or tubular, with a contracted, 5-toothed mouth. Fil- 
aments short, flat, downy. Anthers with membranous cells that open lengthwise. Style 5-cornered. 
Stigma obtuse. Capsule 5-cornered. Flowers for the most part terminal, disposed in racemose pani- 
cles. Loudon, Arboretum. 
(YONIA embraces evergreen and deciduous shrubs, and also one 
tree, natives of North America, and bearing the common charac- 
ter of the plants of the order Ericaceae, both in respect to beauty, 
soil, situation, propagation, and culture. All the species which 
compose this family have hair-like roots, and require a peat soil, 
or a soil of a close, cohesive nature, but which is yet susceptible 
of being'readiiy penetrated by their finest fibrils. They all may readily be prop- 
agated from seeds, by cuttings, or by layers. 
