384 The New York Sfaie College of Forestry 



THE LAURELS. Genus KALMIA L. 

 Small trees and shrubs Avith terete branchlets, minute axillary 

 leaf-buds, elongated axillary inflorescence-buds, and fibrous root. 

 Five or six species are recognized, natives of the United States 

 and Cuba. One species, Kalmia latifolia L., becomes arborescent 

 in eastern United States. 



Leaves alternate, persistent, entire, short petiolate. Floivers perfect, showy, 

 pink, purple or white, borne on slender bibracteolate pedicels from the axils 

 of persistent bracts in axillary umbels; calyx 5-parted, persistent, the lobes 

 imbricated in the bud; corolla saucer-shaped, 5-lobed, with short tube and 

 10 pouches just below the limb, the lobes ovate and before anthesis promi- 

 nently lO-ribbed from the pouches to the acute apex of the bud; stamens 10, 

 shorter than the corolla, with oblong anthers and filiform filaments; prior 

 to anthesis the anthers are retained in the pouches but at maturity the stamen 

 straightens abruptly and catapults the pollen grains from terminal pores in 

 the anthers; disk 10-lobed; pistil consisting of a subglobose, 5-celled, many- 

 seeded ovaiy terminated by a filiform exserted styles and capitate stigma. 

 Fruit a subglobose crustaceous, 5-celled capsule which is tardily septicidally 

 dehiscent; seeds minute, albuminous. 



THE RHODODENDRONS. Genus RHODODENDRON L. 



Small trees and shrubs with astringent juice, scah^ bark, terete 

 branchlets, alternate leaves, and showy flowers. The genus includes 

 over two hundred species which are scattered over eastern and 

 southern Asia and adjoining islands, and North America. Eighteen 

 species occur in North America, one of which. Rhododendron maxi- 

 mum L., becomes arborescent. In addition horticulturists have 

 introduced and hydridized many exotic forms for ornamental 

 purposes. 



Leaves alternate, clustered near the ends of the branchlets, fjersistent; 

 coriaceous, with revolute entire margins and broad midribs, short-petiolate. 

 Flowers perfect, showy, arising from scaly, cone-like buds, borne in terminal 

 corymbs or panicles; calyx 5-parted or toothed, persistent; corolla campanu- 

 late, 5-eleft, deciduous; disk fleshy, lobed; stamens generally 10, somewhat 

 unequal, declined and spreading ; filaments pilose at the base ; pistil consisting 

 of a 5-celled ovary surmounted by a slender, exserted, persistent style and 

 capitate stigma. Fruit a 5-celled, 5-valved, many-seeded, septicidally dehiscent 

 capsule; seeds numerous, minute, laciniately winged at the ends, albuminous. 



EBONY FAMILY. EBENACEAE 



Trees and shrubs with watery juice, alternate simple entire 

 leaves, dioecious or polygamous flowers, and baccate fruit. The 

 Ebenaceae include five genera and about two hundred and seventy- 

 five species, widely distri))nted in tropical and the milder parts 

 of the temperate regions. 



