CXXIX. MONOTROPEJE. 



517 





Rhododendron. . 

 Transverse section of 

 ovary (mag.). 



Rhododendron. Rhododendron. 

 Embryo Style and stigma 

 (.mag.), (mag.). 



Rhododendron. 

 St-unen with anther- 

 cells perforated at the 

 top (mag.). 



Rhododendron. 



Seed, entire and cut longitudinally 

 (mag.). 



the ovules are numerous and anatropous, the style is simple, the capsule loculicidal, the albumen fleshy, the 

 embryo straight and axile, the stem woody, and the leaves alternate. The diagnosis rests on little beyond 

 the polyandry of the one and the diplostemony of the others. 



Ericineee. are scattered over the globe. A few species of Heath inhabit Central and Northern Europe, 

 covering immense otherwise sterile tracts. The number of species increases in the Mediterranean region, 

 and is very considerable at the Cape of Good Hope. There are no Ericas in America, Asia and Australia, in 

 which [latter country] they are replaced by Epacridece. Arbittus&nA. Andromeda, genera with a deciduous 

 corolla, inhabit the north temperate zone ; they are rare in Central Europe and the Mediterranean 

 region, and abound in North America, where they descend towards the tropics and even cross the tropic 

 of Capricorn. In tropical Asia they are sub-alpine ; they are very rare in Australia, but several species 

 occur in New Zealand, Rhodoracea chiefly inhabit the temperate and cool regions of the northern hemi- 

 sphere, and especially of America. Some are found on the highest mountains of tropical America and 

 Asia. [Their centre is in the Himalayas, whence they extend to the mountains of Borneo, where also 

 they occur on the coast. ED.] 



Ericincee generally have a bitter and styptic taste, due to an extractive principle and tannin, to which 

 is sometimes joined an aromatic resin ; to this the diuretic properties of the leaves of Arctostaphylos Uoa- 

 ttrsi are due, and its use in cases of calculus in the bladder. Its berries are very tart ; those of the Arbutus 

 Unedo resemble a small strawberry, and have a mild taste ; in some parts of Italy they are fermented, and 

 yield a spirituous alcoholic liquor. The bark and leaves of the Arbutus contain a large quantity of gallic 

 acid, and are used in the East to tan skins. The leaves of Gualtheria are much used in Canada under the 

 name of Mountain Tea, and the fruit (Box-berry) is edible. 



Rhodoraceee possess, like the other Ericineee, bitter and astringent properties, but they are also very 

 narcotic, and must be used medicinally with great caution. The Rhododendron chrysanthos is given in 

 North Asia for many internal and external maladies. The buds of R. ferrugmeum are employed in Pied- 

 mont in the preparation of an antirheumatic lininent called Marmot Oil. The genera Rhododendron, 

 Ledum, Kalmia and Azalea are narcotic j the honey extracted from their flowers is extremely poisonous ; 

 that which maddened Xenophon's soldiers during the retreat of the Ten Thousand was collected from 

 either Azalea pontica or Rhododendron ponticum, which abound on the shores of the Euxine. 



[The leaves of the Himalayan Andromeda ovalifolia poison goats, and sheep are killed by those of 

 our native A. polifolia. A jelly is made in the Himalayas from the flowers of Rhododendron arboreum. 

 Gunltheria procumbent yields a pungent volatile oil called Oil of Winter-green, used by druggists and per- 

 fumers. ED.J 



CXXIX. MONOTROPE^E. 



, Nuttall. MONOTROPACE^E, Lindl.) 



COROLLA hypogynous, persistent, mono- or ^ly-petalous, diplostemonous, (estivation 

 imbricate. STAMENS 8-10, hypogynous- ANTHERS dehiscing variously. OVARY free, 



