ERICACEAE. (HEATH FAMILY.) 299 



17. AZALEA, L. FALSE HONEYSUCKLE. AZALEA. 



Calyx 5-parted, often minute. Corolla funnel-form, 5-lobed, slightly irregu- 

 lar ; the lobes spreading. Stamens 5, with long exserted filaments, usually 

 declined, as well as the similar style : anthers short, opening by terminal pores, 

 pointless. Pod 5-celled, 5-valved, many-seeded. Seeds scale-like. Upright 

 shrubs, with alternate and obovate or oblong deciduous leaves, which are entire, 

 ciliate, and mucronate with a glandular point. Flowers large and showy, often 

 glandular and glutinous outside, in umbelled clusters from large scaly-imbri- 

 cated terminal buds. (Name from daAe'os, arid, most inappropriate as ap- 

 plied to our species, which grow in swamps.) 



# Flowers appearing after the leaves. 



1. A. arborescens, Pursh. (SMOOTH AZALEA.) Branchlets smooth; 

 leaves obovate, obtuse, very smooth both sides, shining above, glaucous beneath, the 

 margins bristly-ciliate ; calyx-lobes long and conspicuous ; corolla slightly clammy ; 

 stamens and style very much exserted. Mountains of Penn. to Virginia, and 

 southward. June. Shrub 3 -10 high, with thickish leaves, and very fra- 

 grant rose-colored blossoms larger than in No. 3. 



2. A. visedsa, L. (CLAMMY A. WHITE SWAMP-HONEYSUCKLE.) 

 Branchlets bristly, as well as the margins and midrib of the oblong-obovate 

 otherwise smooth leaves $ calyx-lobes minute ; corolla clammy, the tube much longer 

 than the lobes ; stamens and especially the style exserted. Var. GLAticA has 

 the leaves paler, often white-glaucous underneath or both sides, sometimes rough- 

 hairy. Var. Nf TIDA is dwarf, with oblanceolate leaves green both sides. 

 Swamps, Maine to Kentucky, mostly near the coast. June, July. Shrub 4 

 - 10 high, with clammy fragrant flowers, white or tinged with rose-color. 



* * Flowers appearing before or with the leaves. 



3. A. nudifl6ra, L. (PURPLE A. PINXTER-FLOWER.) Branchlets 

 rather hairy ; leaves obovate or oblong, downy underneath ; calyx very short ; 

 tube of the corolla scarcely longer than the ample lobes, slightly glandular; stamens and 

 style much exserted. Swamps, Massachusetts and New York to Illinois, 

 and southward. April, May. Shrub 2 -6 high ; the showy flowers varying 

 from flesh-color to pink and purple. There are numberless varieties, some of 

 them with 10 stamens. 



4. A. calendulacea, Michx. (FLAME-COLORED AZALEA.) Branchlets 

 and obovate or oblong leaves hairy ; calyx-lobes oblong, rather conspicuous ; tube of 

 the corolla shorter than the lobes, hairy ; stamens and style much exserted. Woods, 

 mountains of Penn. to Virginia, Kentucky, and southward. May. Shrub 

 3 -10 high, covered just when the leaves appear with a profusion of large 

 orange blossoms, usually turning to flame-color, not fragrant. 



18. RHODODENDRON, L. ROSE-BAY. 



Calyx 5-parted, minute in our species. Corolla bell-shaped or partly funnel- 

 form, sometimes slightly irregular, 5-lobed. Stamens 10 (rarely fewer), com- 

 monly declined : anthers, pods, &c. as in Azalea. Shrubs or low trees, with 

 evergreen entire alternate leaves, and ample showy flowers, in compact terminal 



