^Se THE HEATH FAMILY. 



WICKY. (F/afe CXXV.) 

 Kdlmia ciinedta. 



Flozvers: ^xo\s\ng\\\\.\\. long, thread-like pedicels in lateral corymbs. Calyx: 

 persistent, of five ovate, pointed sepals. Corolla : saucer-shaped, with five 

 broadly rounded lobes, cream-white with a ring of magenta at the base. Stamens: 

 ten, the anther of each one held in a pouch-like depression of the petals. Pistil : 

 one, projecting the style. Gz/j-w/t- .• sub-globose, ridged, depressed at both ends. 

 Leaves : oblanceolate, or oblong, pointed or blunt at the apex, sometimes tipped 

 with the mid-vein and tapering at the base into the margined petiole, or sessile; 

 entire ; bright green above, lighter below ; glabrous ; deciduous. A small shrub 

 with reddish bronze and slightly pubescent twigs. 



Although as a feature of swamp life this most dainty of the laurels is 

 quite common, it seems to be little known. It is peculiar in being the only 

 one of the family that sheds its leaves during the winter. They are fine and 

 graceful and have a less stiff look than many others. The flower's charm 

 lies in the deep magenta ring which encircles the base of the delicate 

 petals. 



The genus of Kalmia is an interesting one and was so named by Lin- 

 naeus, in honour of his pupil, Peter Kalm, who travelled in America and 

 later published an account of his search for flowers. As its members cover 

 the hillsides with delicate bloom against a background of dark and lustrous 

 leaves, or grow in clusters through swamps reflected by the water, their 

 wondrous beauty must appeal more to the sentiment than can possibly their 

 peculiarities to the scientist. It is true that in construction their flowers are 

 most cleverly arranged to the end that they may be fertilized by insects. 

 Their thread-like filaments are curved downward and the anthers held in 

 the corolla's pouches as ingeniously as ever trap was set. When the insect 

 alights and touches with his leg one of these little arches, up flies the an- 

 thers and discharges from its pores the pollen. Then as the bee goes off to 

 sip nectar from another flower he deposits on the sticky surface of the 

 erect stigma these little golden vitalizing grains. And his just work is 

 done. After all, however, we remember as Ruskin has pointed out that 

 " the reason for seeds is that flowers may be ; not the reason of flowers that 

 seeds may be." 



K. hirsiita, hairy laurel {Plate CXXVT), prefers not the cool barren hill- 

 sides for its home, but spreads its deep rose-tinted bloom in the damp, sandy 

 soil of pine barrens. It is a low shrub with ascending, hairy branches and 

 usually but one or a few flowers grow from the axils, of oblong or lanceo- 

 late hirsute leaves. 



