216 HEATH FAMILY. 



* * Flowers very smaH, with globular and scurfy-pubescent corolla. Rusty pu- 



bescent or scurfy shrubs, 4 - 10 high. 



A. ferruginea. Low sandy grounds S. with thick and rigid mostly ever- 

 green rusty obovate leaves, the margins revolute. 



A. ligustrina. Low grounds E. & S. ; with thin and green obovate-oblong 

 leaves, and panicled clusters of small flowers. 



12. OXYDENDRTJM, SORREL-TREE, SOUR-WOOD. (Both the 

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

 O. arbbreum. Rich woods, Penn. to Ohio and S. ; tree 15 -40 high, 



smooth, with oblong-lanceolate pointed serrulate leaves (resembling those of the 

 Peach), on slender petioles, and white flowers in long one-sided racemes clus- 

 tered iu a loose panicle at the end of the branches of the season, in early 

 summer. 



13. KALMIA, AMERICAN or MOUNTAIN LAUREL. (Named for 

 Peter Kahn, pupil of Linnaeus, who travelled in this country before the 

 middle of the last century.) Ornamental shrubs, scarcely found W. : foliage 

 thought to poison cattle. Fl. spring and early summer. 



K. latifblia, LARGE MOCXTAIN-L., also CALICO-BUSH, SPOOX-WOOD, &c., 

 in Middle States. Common N. in damp grounds and along the mountains S., 

 where it forms very dense thickets, 4 -10 or even 20 high, with mostly 

 alternate lance-ovate leaves bright green both sides ; the large and showy 

 clusters of rose-color or white or crimson-spotted flowers terminal and clammy, 

 in early summer. 



K. angustifblia, NARROW-LEAVED or SHEEP L., LAMKILL. Low or 

 dry grounds ; 2 - 3 high, with narrow-oblong short-petioled' leaves opposite or 

 in threes and pale beneath, and corymbs of smaller crimson-purple flowers lat- 

 eral (in late spring), their pedicels recurved in fruit. 



K. glauca, PALE L. Cold bogs N. ; l-2 high, with 2-cdged branches, 

 opposite sessile oblong or linear leaves white beneath and with revolute margins, 

 the corymbs of lilac-purple flowers terminal, in spring. 



14. RHODODENDRON, ROSE-BAY. (The name in Greek means 

 Rose-tree] Very ornamental shrubs or small trees. Calyx in our species 

 small or minute. 



* Leaves thick and evergreen, smooth : branches stiff" and erect : flowers in early 



summer from very large terminal buds: corolla broadhj be ll-shaped. 



R. maximum, GREAT R. or WILD LAUREL. Mountain-sides, abundant 

 through the Alleghanies, and N. sparingly to Maine and Canada ; 6 - 20 

 high, with lance-oblong leaves (4' - 10' long) narrowish below, clammy pedi- 

 cels, and pale rose or nearly white corolla (!' broad) greenish in the throat, on 

 the upper side more or less spotted with yellow or reddish : fl. midsummer. 



R. Catawbi^nse, CATAWBA R. High Alleghanies from Virginia S., and 

 planted ; 3 - 6 high, with oval or oblong leaves rounded at both ends and 



Sale beneath (3' -5' long), usually rusty pedicels, and large purple corolla: 

 . early summer. This, hybridized Avith other less hardy species, especially 

 with the next, and with the tender R. arboreum of the Himalayas (cult, in 

 conservatories) gives rise to most of the various Rhododendrons of ornamental 

 grounds. 



R. Pdnticum, from Pontus, &c., hardy when planted N. only as a low 

 shrub, has obovate-lanceolate leaves tapering to the base, and a very open bell- 

 shaped purple corolla, in late spring. 



* * Leaves evergreen, but thinnish ; branches slender and spreading or drooping : 



flowers in early summer. 



R. punctatum, DOTTED R. Along the mountains E. from N. Carolina 

 S., and sparingly planted ; 4 - 6 high, with oblong or lance-oblong leaves 

 acute at both ends, 2' -4' long, and sprinkled, like the branchlets and outside 

 of the rather small short funnel-shaped rose-colored corolla, with rusty dots or 

 atoms. 



