KALMIA 679 



of his pupils, and the author of a famous eighteenth-century book of 

 North American travel. They are all handsome plants, especially 

 K. latifolia and K. glauca, with the leaves in some species alternate, in 

 others opposite or in threes. Flowers five-parted, flattish, open, and 

 produced in showy clusters. They show an interesting mechanism to 

 secure fertilisation. There are ten stamens, which on first expanding 

 are bent back so that the anthers are held in little cavities in the corolla. 

 The " knee " formed by the stalk of the stamen is sensitive, and when the 

 pollen is ripe, if it be touched, the anther is released with a jerk, sending 

 a little dust of pollen in the direction of the stigma, or over the insect 

 whose movements set it in motion. The fruit is a globose capsule, five- 

 celled and many-seeded. The foliage of Kalmias is mostly considered 

 poisonous to animals that graze on it. K. angustifolia is on this account 

 known as " lamb-kill " in the United States. 



Kalmias like a peaty soil and cool, permanently moist conditions at 

 the root. They are best propagated by seed, which should be sown 

 as advised for rhododendrons, and afterwards pricked off in boxes. 

 K. glauca may be increased by cuttings of moderately ripened growths 

 in July and August. 



K. HIRSUTA, Walter, a very distinct species with alternate leaves and 

 hairy branchlets, leaves, flower-stalks, and calyx, is probably not in cultivation, 

 nor quite hardy. Native of the south-eastern United States. 



K. ANGUSTIFOLIA, Linnceus. SHEEP LAUREL. 



(Bot. Mag., t. 331.) 



An evergreen shrub, varying considerably in height and habit. The largest 

 form is 2 to 4 ft. high, and of thin, open growth ; the smallest a dwarf, tufted 

 plant 6 ins. or so high ; young wood slightly downy. Leaves in pairs or in 

 threes, oval or ovate ; f to 2 ins. long, \ to f in. wide ; smooth and bright 

 green above, paler or semi-glaucous beneath ; stalk \ to \ in. long. Flowers 

 produced in June, densely packed in rounded clusters 2 ins. across at the 

 termination of the previous year's growth. Corolla saucer-shaped, \ in. across, 

 deep rosy red ; lobes five, shallowly triangular. Calyx and flower-stalk downy. 



Native of Eastern N. America ; introduced in 1736, and the commonest of 

 Kalmias in gardens. It spreads by sucker growths at the base, and the dwarfer 

 forms are dainty shrubs. Propagated by seed or by pulling old plants apart 

 in spring. Several minor forms have been given names referring to differences 

 in habit, shape of leaf, and colour of flower, such as : NANA (syn. pumila), 

 dwarf ; OVATA, leaves ovate, broader ; ROSEA, flowers rose-coloured ; RUBRA, 

 flowers deeper red than ordinary. The specific name " angustifolia :> has no 

 significance except in relation to K. latifolia. 



K. CAROLINA, Small, is a near ally of K. angustifolia, kept apart from it on 

 the strength of its permanently downy leaves and style. 



K. CUNEATA, Michaux. 



(Bot. Mag,, t. 8319.) 



A deciduous, sometimes partially evergreen shrub, 3 to 4 ft. high, of thin, 

 erect, gaunt habit ; young shoots reddish, glandular-hairy. Leaves alternate, 

 nearly or quite stalkless, obovate or narrowly oval ; f to 2 ins. long, \ to i in. 

 wide* always narrowed towards the base, but pointed or rounded at the apex ; 



