RHODODENDRONS 343 



the old Linnaean genus Azalea. They have alternate, leathery, annual 

 or biennial leaves. The flowers are usually large and showy, their 

 effectiveness being enhanced by their frequent association in corymbs at 

 the ends of the shoots. The flower-parts are in fives ; the calyx five- 

 sepaled or five-toothed; corolla funnel-shaped, bell-shaped, tubular or 

 salver-shaped, five-lobed. Stamens eight or ten. Seed-capsules woody, 

 five- to twenty-celled. The Azaleas were separated chiefly on account of 

 tlicir stamens being but five (an important point under the Linna^an 

 systoiu) and the leaves being more herbaceous, some not lasting over 

 then- first w inter ; but recent researches have resulted in the discovery 

 of species that bridge over these diflerences. The species are found in 

 the mountain regions of Europe, Asia, the Malay Archipelago, and North 

 America. 



History. Naturally, the European species of Rhododendron 



were the first to become know^n in British gardens, and 

 Rh. hirsutum, one of the pretty Alpine Roses, w^as introduced from 

 Switzerland in 1650. It was nearly eighty years later that the first 

 of the North American species were brought over. These were Rh. 

 (Azalea) nudijlora, Rh. (Azalea) hisjnda, and Rh. (Azalea) viscosa, 

 introduced in 1734, and two years later came Rh. maximum from the' 

 same quarter. Rh. 2'>onticumi, so largely used in plantations and as a 

 cover for game, came from Asia Minor in 1763; the similarly named 

 Azalea jyontica (more correctly m. fiavum) came from the Levant in 

 1793. When these North American species w-ere introduced they were 

 regarded as hothouse plants, and so treated, but naturally w-ithout 

 success. The story is told how Mr. Waterer, the founder of the Knap- 

 liill nurseries, had his attention called to a Rhododendron that was 

 growmg and flowering splendidly after having been cast out among the 

 rubbish from one of his houses. There on the sandy heathy soil out of 

 doors it had found the conditions which made healthy growth pof?sible, 

 and it had struck in its roots and grown unregarded until it called 

 attention to itself by such a head of flowers as none of the hothouse 

 specimens had shown. It is said that Mr. Waterer at once ordered all 

 the Rhododendrons to be turned out and planted in the heathy soil 

 natural to that district of Surrey, and here was the beginning of the 

 firm's fame as growers of these plants. TJie Sikkim Rhododendrons are 

 ot niore recent iutroduetioii, and re(|UU'e greenhouse treatment, or at least 

 winter |)r<)tcctiou. Th.-x- ai-e excL'fdingly beautiful, their flowers far 

 surpassing tlie liardy sorts, and some l)eing very fragrant. In the 

 foUowuig descriptions the species formerly separated under the genus 

 Azalea are distinguished by (Az.) after the generic initials. 



