Ericacea: Arbutus. 279 



about the lakes of Killarney, in Ireland, and the West and 

 South of Europe generally. 



2. A. Andrdchne. A Mediterranean species, larger in all 

 its parts, having laurel-like leaves and smooth berries. The 

 bark of this is of a reddish tinge and deciduous, peeling off in 

 slender strings. There are some hybrid varieties between this 

 and the foregoing of intermediate character, 



A. procera is a North American species requiring protection. 

 It is closely allied to the last, but with serrated leaves and a 

 smaller racemose panicle of white flowers. A. Croomii is 

 another of the large-leaved group. 



Arctostdphylos alpina, Bearberry, is an indigenous dwarf 

 branching shrub. Leaves deciduous, spathulate, toothed, net- 

 veined. Flowers small, white. Fruit a drupe, containing 5 to 

 10 1 -seeded stones. 



Biydnthus erectus is a charming Heath-like shrub about 

 a foot high, having pentamerous broadly-campanulate red 

 flowers. It was formerly supposed to be of hybrid origin between 

 Rhododendron Chamcecistus and Menziesia ccerulea ; but it 

 is now known to be a native of Siberia, and has probably no 

 more title to be called a hybrid than any other wild plant. 



7. RHODODENDRON. 



Shrubs or trees with few exceptions evergreen. Flowers 

 showy, funnel-shaped, or irregularly 5-lobed. Stamens usually 

 10, and declinate. Flower-buds clothed with leafy scales. 

 Fruit capsular, splitting between the cells ; seeds numerous. 

 There are two or three North American species, several alpine 

 and arctic in Europe and Asia ; but they are found in the 

 greatest numbers in the mountains of India. The name is of 

 Greek derivation, signifying Rose-tree. 



1. Rh. ferrugineum. Rose of the Alps. A dwarf compact 

 shrub about 2 feet high. Leaves oblong-lanceolate, glabrous 

 above, rusty-scaly beneath. Flowers about f inch in diameter, 

 rosy-red, in terminal clusters. From May to July. 



2. Rh. hirsutum. Rose of the Alps. Very much like the 

 preceding, but the elliptical leaves are minutely toothed and 

 ciliated, and furnished with resinous dots below. 



' 3. Rh. ciliatum. A very handsome and distinct species 

 clothed with hispid hairs. Leaves oblong-lanceolate, ciliate, 

 scaly below, slightly coriaceous. Flowers large, campanulate, 

 delicate rosy-pink and white. A Sikkim species of which 

 there are several fine varieties. 



