HEATH FAMILY. 217 



* * * Leaves tardily deciduous, thickish : flowers borne on the naked shoots in 



earliest sprint) : corolla almost wheel-s/uiped, bright rose-pur/>/e. 

 R. Datiricum, cult, from Siberia ; a low shrub, with small oblong leaves 

 |l'-2' long) sprinkled with minute dots, becoming rusty beneath. 



15. AZALEA. (Name in Greek means arid; not applicable to these orna- 

 mental shrubs, which grow in low, wet, or shady grounds.) 



1. CHINESE AZALKAS, with thickish almost, or quite erergreen leaves, rather 

 leafy caiyx, short-tubtd corolla approaching to bell-shaped, and often 10 

 stamens, therefore, in strictness rather Rhododendrons : 



A. Indica, cult, from China and Japan, &c., is however the AZALBA of 

 florists, dowering in late winter and early spring in conservatories, with red, 

 purple, pink, white or variegated showy 'flowers, green rather shining leaves, 

 and shoots beset with appressed awl-shaped rusty bristles. 



2. TRUE AZALEAS or FALSE HONEYSUCKLES, with deciduous leaves, slen- 

 der cylindrical tube lo (h?. corolla, the chiefly 5 stamens and the style long 

 and protruded : hardy ornamental shrubs. 

 * Flowers developed later than the. leaves, in summer, very fragrant. 



A. Visc6sa, CLAMMY A. Swamps E. & S. ; 4-10 high, with bristly C^rp\ 

 branchlets, oblong-obovate mostly smooth leaves commonly pale or wETKsh 

 bcneatli7 often glossy above, and wjiite^r rosy-tinged very clammy flowers. 



* * Flowers developed with or rather before t/if thin and veiny mostly pubescent 



learcs, in late spriity, slight lyjragrant. 



A. nudifldra, PURPLE A. or PINXTKH-FLOWKR. Swamps, chiefly E. & S. ; 

 3 - G high, with oblong or obovatc leaves ; branchlets and narrow tube of the 

 rose or pink-red corolla rather glandular-pubescent, and calyx very small. 



A. calendulacea, FLAMK-COLORKD A. In and near the' Alleghanies, 

 especially S., and cult, in hybrid forms ; has yellow or flame-colored corolla and 

 larger calyx-lobes than the preceding. 



A. P6ntica, planted from the Old World, a native of the Caucasus; has 

 larger (2' or more broad) golden or orange-yellow flowers, terminating naked 

 branches, the tube clammy-downy. 



16. RHODORA. (Name made from the Greek word for Rose, from the 

 color of the flowers and general likeness to Rhododendron.) 



R. Canadensis. Cold wet grounds, from Penn. N. & E. : low shrub, with 

 handsome rose-pink flowers in spring, somewhat earlier than the pale rather 

 hairy leaves. 



17. LEIOPHYLLUM, SAND -MYRTLE. (Name from the Greek, 

 meaning smooth leaf x 



L. buxifdlium. In sand, from New Jcrscv S. ; evergreen shrub a few 

 inches high, much brancned, with oval or oblong ^Myrtle-like leaves (from 4' to 

 near ' long), and umbels of :;mall white flowers in late spring. 



18. LEDUM, LABRADOR TEA. (An old Greek name.) Fl. early 

 summer. 



L. latifdlium, COMMON or BROAD-LEAVED L. Low and damp or wet 

 grounds from Penn. N. ; 2 -5 high, with oblong leaves, usually 5 stamens, 

 and oblong pods. 



19. CLETHRA, WHITE ALDER. (Old Greek name of Alder, from . 

 some resemblance in the foliage.) Fl. in summer. 



C. alnif61ia, the only common species, in low grounds, 3- 10 high, 

 wedge-obovate sharply serrate straight- veined leaver, aad upright pani 

 racemes of fragrant small flowers. 



