&S4 tXX. teRlCACE^fi. 



Order LXX. ERICACE^. 



Calyx free (or in Diplycosia sometimes much adnata to the ovary), 5 (rarely 

 4 to 6) fid or 5-partite. Corolla hypogynous, often campanulate or urceolate, 

 sometimes deeply lobed or (in Pyrola) petals free ; lobes 5 to 20. Stamens 10, 

 vary 5, 8, or 20, hypogynous or slightly attached to the base of the corolla 

 (in Diplycosia sometimes epigynous) ; filaments free ; anthers oblong, opening 

 by pores or slits at the apex (in Diplacht by longitudinal slits}, the cells often 

 produced upwards into tubes, sometimes dorsally spurred. Ovary 5 or 4 to 

 16-celled ; style oylindric ; stigma simple or shortly lobed ; ovules many in the 

 inner angles of the cells, or placenta often pendulous from the upper angle. 

 Fruit capsular, loculicidally or septicidally 5-valved (in Gaultheria and Diplycesia 

 enclosed by the enlarged succulent calyx), appearing baccate. Seeds many 

 (rarely few) in each cell, albuminous ; testa close or loose or produced. — Shrubs, 

 trees, or perennial herbs. Leaves alternate or apparently whorled, entire or 

 serrate, no stipules. Flowers racemed, clustered or solitary, radicles bracteate 

 and often 2-bracteolate. Flowers regular (or in Rhododendron, sometimes irre- 

 gular, sometimes dimorphic). — Clarke in Hook. FI. Brit. Ind. 



The species are met with in all parts of the globe. 



1. RHODODENDRON, Linn. 



(Rose-tree, in reference to the terminal bunches of often red-coloured flowers.) 



Calyx 5-lobed, sometimes small or obsolete, rarely saucer-shaped, persistent. 

 Corolla campanulate, widely funnel-shaped or cylindric, tube long or short, 

 lobes' 5 to 10. Stamens 5 to 18, usually 10. Anthers oblong, dehiscing by 

 terminal pores. Ovary 5 to 20-oelled. Style long or short, stigma capitate, 

 ovules very many in each cell. Capsule short, woody, or elongate, thinner, 4 

 to 20-celled, septicidally 4 to 20-valved from the apex, valves breaking away 

 from the placentas ; seeds very many ellipsoid, albuminous ; testa close or loose, 

 often shortly crested, or tailed at one or both ends. — Trees or shrubs, sometimes 

 very small, often scaly or aromatic. Leaves alternate, often clustered towards 

 the end of the branches, rarely subopposite or falsely whorled, entire, coriaceous. 

 Flowers fascicled or subcorymbose, terminal, rarely solitary or axillary ; bracts 

 broad, generally caducous ; bracteoles linear. — Fl. Brit. Ind. iii. 462. 



The species are met with upon the mountains of Europe, Asia, Malayan, North America, New 

 Guinea, and Queensland. 



1. R. IiOChae (after Lady Loch), F. v. M. Vict. Nat. Mar. 1887. 

 Aboresoent, somewhat scandent. Leaves persistent, mostly whorled, some 

 scattered, conspicuously stalked, flat, nearly ovate, rather blunt, glabrous, well 

 veined, minutely scaly-dotted beneath. Flowers rather large in terminal 

 umbelliform fascicles on very conspicuous stalklets. Bracts cuneate or 

 spathulate-ovate, glabrescent. Calyx rudimentary, oblique-patellar, or sometimes 

 variously short-lobed. Corolla bright-red, glabrous but scaly-dotted outside, 

 slightly hairy inside, the lower portion broadly cylindrical, the upper portion 

 bluntly 5-lobed and conspicuously veined. Stamens 10, slightly emerging from 

 the corolla-tube ; filaments short-hairy towards the base. Anthers very small, 

 ellipsoid-cylindrical. Style nearly as long as the filaments, short-hairy to about 

 the middle ; indusium truncate, stigma slightly lobed. Capsule narrow-ellipsoid, 

 about as long as the stalklet, or longer, short-hairy, 5-celled. Seed con- 

 spicuously appendioulated. — F. v. M. I.e. 



Hab.: On the mountains about Bellenden Ker, W. Sdyer, A. Davidson ; south peak, Bellenden 

 Ker (altitcde 5200ft.), 4- Meston. 



