FLOWERS OF GARDEN AND GREENHOUSE 



AMERICAN LAURELS 



Natural Order Ericace.?^. Genus Kidmia 



Kalmia (named in honour of Peter Kalm, a pupil of Linnaeus, 1715-1799). 

 A small genus — about six species — of hardy evergreen shrubs, with entire 

 leathery leaves and showy white, purple, or rose-coloured flowers. Five 

 is the number dominating the structure of these flowers. The five sepals 

 are united at their base ; the five petals are joined by their edges through- 

 out their length, and have ten little pits in which the ten anthers are 

 kept until wanted. The filaments or footstalks of these anthers are 

 slender and elastic, and when the flower opens they are curved away 

 from the slender style ; but on the appearance of an insect within the 

 bell attempting to get at the honey in the base of the flower, a touch 

 will cause one or more of these filaments to spring back towards the 

 style and shake the pollen out of the anthers upon the insect, to be thus 

 carried to another flower. The species are restricted to North America, 

 except one, which is a native of Cuba. All flower in May and June. 

 Principaispecies Kalmia angustifolia (slender-leaved). Sheep Poison. 

 'Stem 2 to 3 feet high. Leaves opposite, or in whorls of three, 

 oblong, stalked. Flowers in lateral corymbs, purple or crimson. Intro- 

 duced from Canada, 1736. 



K. GLAUCA (glaucous). Stem 1 to 2 feet high, with two-edged twigs. 

 Leaves oblong, the edges rolled back; almost stalkless, opposite or in 

 threes, pale, glaucous beneath. Flowers lilac-purple. Introduced from 

 North America, 1767. 



K. LATIFOLIA (broad-leaved). Calico Bush. Stems and branches 

 crooked, 5 to 15 feet high. Leaves mostly alternate, smooth, stalked, 

 elliptical. Flowers covered with a sticky down ; variable in colour from 

 white to rose-colour, in terminal compound corymbs. Introduced from 

 North America, 1734. 

 cmtivatioii. "^^^ cultural directions given for hardy Rhododendrons 



apply also to Kahnias, and the peaty soil is a necessity 

 for these as for those. They are among the most striking and useful 

 of flowering shrubs, and their cultivation is not attended with any 

 difliculty. K. latifolia is the best known and most widely grown, and 

 has the recommendation of being amenable to forcing, for the early 

 decoration of greenhouse or conservatory in spring, if plants are left 

 outside until winter, then potted and taken into the greenhouse. 



