KEY TO THE AZALEAS 259 



hardy in the extreme North, many others are hardy only in the Gulf 

 states. Besides the regular species there are numerous hybrids interme- 

 diate in character, and some have flowers so double in form and variegated 

 in color as to disguise their character to the extent that they hardly 

 seem Azaleas. Like the roses, there are so many named varieties as to 

 defy description except in a large book devoted to them alone and fui-- 

 nished with colored illustrations. 



The leaves are alternate or clustered at end of branches, entire or 

 bristly-toothed and generally deciduous. The flowers when single are 

 funnel-shaped, somewhat lopsided, with 5 or 10 usually long stamens. The 

 fruit is a large 5-valved many-seeded capsule. They grow best in peaty 

 or sandy soil in moist and somewhat shady situations. 



[Twig cuttings ; layers ; seeds ; grafting of named varieties on seedlings 

 of hardy species.] 



KEY TO MANY OF THE AZALEAS 



* Leaves and flowers from different buds, flowers in terminal clustei"S, 

 leaves deciduous. (A.) 

 A. Corolla with a slender tube about as long as the spreading por- 

 tion, hairy and glandular outside, stamens (5) longer than the 

 lobes. (B.) 

 B. Flowers white (or tinged red) blooming after the leaves expand, 

 very fragrant. (C.) 

 C. Flowers l|-2 inches long, very sticky or gummy outside, June, 

 July; branchlets with stiff hairs ; shrub 4-8 feet. White 

 Swamp Azalea (437) — Rhododendron viscosum (Azalea 

 visc6sa) . 

 C. Flowers 2 inches long, June, July; branchlets about smooth; 

 shrub 8-10 feet high; style and stamens red. SiMOGth Aza- 

 leas (438) — Rhododendron arbor^scens (Azalea arbor^s- 

 cens). 



C. Flowers 2-2i inches long with yellow on the upper lobe. May, 

 June; branchlets generally smooth; shrub 2-6 feet. Cali- 

 fornia Azalea — Azalea occidentalis (Rhododendron oc- 

 cidentale) . 



B. Flowers usually pink though sometimes nearly white, blooming 

 early, about when the leaves expand, April, May, slightly 

 fragrant ; shrub 3-6 feet. Pink Azalea or Pinxter Flower 

 (430) — Rhododendron nudiflorum (Azalea nudiflora). 



B. Flowers yellow, orange, or flt^nie color. (D.) 



D. Orange to flame color, nearly 2 inches broad, without odor 



