Ericace<zA zalea. 285 



2. A. calendulacea. A North American species of about 

 the same stature. Leaves obovate-oblong, hairy. Calyx-lobes 

 oblong. Tube of the corolla shorter than the lobes, hairy. 

 Flowers large, numerous, orange-coloured. 



3. A. nudiflora. Near the last in characters, and from the 

 same regions. Corolla-tube glandular, scarcely exceeding the 

 broad lobes. The flowers vary from pink to deep purple. Both 

 flower in Spring. 



A. viscosa and A. arborescens. North American species, pro- 

 duce the flowers before the leaves, the former having a long 

 tube to the corolla, and the latter being quite smooth in all its 

 parts. 



The foregoing forms, in conjunction with A. viscbsa and A. 

 speciosa, and perhaps some other species or wild varieties what- 

 ever they may be, have given birth to the numerous varieties 

 now in cultivation, partially from natural variation and 

 partially by intercrossing. In colour they range from white 

 through every shade of yellow, orange, and red to crimson, and 

 many uncommon intermediate tints. There are also hybrid 

 forms between some of these and the true Khododendrons, 



Pig. 160. Azalea Inuica. Fig. 161. Azalea liliiflora. (J nat. size.) 



(J nat. size.) 



especially between Rh. Ponticum and A. Sinensis, syn. A. 

 mollis, a species very near A. Pontica, with larger yellow or 

 orange flowers and elliptical leaves. The hybrid called Eh. 

 prcecox superbum has flowers in the shape of an Azalea, of 

 a lilac colour, and very small dark green persistent leaves. 



