Loiselettria.] ERICACEAE. 255 



broadly campanulate, 5-fid. Stamens 5, hypogynous, slightly adnate to 

 the corolla ; anthers short, included, slits lateral. Ovary subglobose, 2-3- 

 celled ; style short, straight, stigma capitate ; ovules many. Capsule 2-3- 

 celled, septicidally 2-3-valved, valves 2-fid. Seeds several, ovoid, testa 

 thick pitted. — Distrib. Arctic and Alpine Europe, Asia, America. — Etym. 

 Loiseleur-Deslongchamps, a French botanist. 



L. procum'bens, Desv. ; leaves rigidly coriaceous recurved linear- 

 oblong obtuse. Azalea, L. 



Scotch Alps, alt. 1,500-3,600 ft., from Ben Lomond to Shetland; fl. May-June. 

 — Forms flat patches with interlaced rigid woody branches. Leaves §-§ in., 

 crowded, petioled, deep green, glossy, deeply channelled above, beneath 

 densely pubescent, midrib very stout. Flowers usually 2-3, inclined, sub- 

 corymbose, proterogynous ; peduncle red, §— § in., stout, ebracteolate. Sepals 

 ovate-lanceolate, red. Corolla J in. diam., pink; lobes obtuse. Capsule 

 minute. 



lO. PY'ROLA, Tournef. Winter-green. 



Biennial or perennial herbs ; rootstock slender, creeping ; stems short, 

 almost woody ; buds scaly. Leaves chiefly radical, broad petioled, ever- 

 green. Flowers secund, racemose, rarely solitary, white pink or yellowish, 

 nodding ; scapes bracteate ; pedicels bracteolate at the base. Sepals 5. 

 Corolla globose, rarely spreading, of five free or subconnate orbicular 

 petals. Stamens 10, in pairs opposite the petals, hypogynous, erect or 

 decimate, filaments subulate, tip incurved ; anther-cells opening by ter- 

 minal pores. Ovary 5-celled ; style erect or decimate, stigma capitate 

 5-lobed or -cleft ; ovules many. Capsule globose, 5-celled, loculicidally 

 5-valved ; valves septiferous, usually with tomentose edges ; axis bearing 

 the seeds on fungous placentas. Seeds very minute, elongate, testa pro- 

 duced loose. — Distrib. N. temp, zone ; species about 15. — Etym. Pyrus, 

 from a supposed similarity in the foliage to that of the pear. 



Sub-gen. 1. Py'rola proper. Flowers racemose. Petals 5, free, 

 incurved. Anther-cells short, obtuse. Stigmatic lobes short. Valves of 

 capsule cohering by fibres. 



1. P. mi'nor, Sw. ; leaves orbicular- ovate obscurely crenate, stamens 

 erect as long as the short straight style, stigma-rays large. 



Woods and heaths, from Sutherland to Kent and Devon ; ascends to 1,500 ft. 

 in the Highlands; Ireland, rare; fl. June- Aug. — Stem 1-3 in., ascending. 

 Leaves usually in a rosette, but sometimes alternate, coriaceous, 1-1| in., 

 blade contracted into the longer petiole. Scape 8-12 in., slender. Raceme 

 short, bracteoles subulate-lanceolate. Flowers § in. diam., drooping, globose, 

 white tinged with rose. Stamens very short. Style without a ring below 

 the stigma, not lengthening in fruit. Capsule drooping. — Distrib. Europe 

 (Arctic) (excl. Turkey), N. America. 



2. P. media, Sw. ; leaves orbicular-ovate crenate, stamens erect shorter 

 than the straight or slightly decurved style, stigma-lobes minute erect. 



