12 THE AZALEAS OF THE OLD WORLD 



size, is also rich in Azaleas. In China these Azaleas are poorly repre- 

 sented by eight species of which only three are really common and 

 widespread. This is singular in view of the remarkable richness of 

 the Chinese flora in general. In Korea four species grow, but at most 

 only one (R. yedoense var. poukhanense) is endemic and specimens of 

 an Azalea much like this have been collected in Bitchu province, 

 western Japan. In Japan Azaleas reach their northern limits in 

 central Hokkaido, where R. Tschonoskii, R. Albrechtii, R. obtusum 

 var. Kaempferi and R. reticulatum are found. The marked absence 

 of limestone in Japan is favorable to the family Ericaceae which is 

 richly represented there, and on the volcanic mountains Azaleas are 

 astonishingly abundant. The small-flowered R. obtusum, the wild 

 type of which is the form japonicum, is local, being confined to Kiri- 

 shima and to a few other mountains in Kyushu, but the large-flowered 

 variety Kaempferi grows in plenty from the extreme south, northward 

 to central Hokkaido. The same is true of the magenta-flowered R. reti- 

 culatum. Billions of plants of these two species are scattered on the 

 grass and shrub-clad slopes, in thickets, in thin woods and on the 

 margins of forests. In May from Kyushu to central Hondo travelling 

 by train or along the roads one is never out of sight of the blossoms of 

 these Azaleas; in June the same is true for the north until their limit 

 of distribution is reached. Many districts are famous for their Azaleas, 

 and of these I may mention the slopes of Mt. Fuji, the Hakone moun- 

 tains and the Nikko region. In Yamato province, and also round 

 Fuji and Nikko R. japonicum with its clusters of large flame-colored 

 flowers grows in millions. Indeed it is to her Azaleas that Japan owes 

 much for the color which decks her countryside. And what joy it is to 

 ramble through this flower-clad land in spring and early summer. In 

 autumn the leaves of such species as R. japonicum, R. Tschonoskii, 

 R. reticulatum, R. quinquefolium, R. pentaphyllum and R. linearifolium 

 change to rich shades of yellow, orange, crimson and vinous purple. 

 These autumn tints, like the wealth of brilliantly colored flowers in 

 spring and early summer, arrest attention on every side, and small 

 wonder that the Japanese have taken Azaleas into their gardens, parks 

 and temple grounds and cultivated them from time immemorial. The 

 only truly woodland species are R. quinquefolium and R. pentaphyllum, 

 but so adaptable to different conditions are R. reticulatum and R. ob- 

 tusum var. Kaempferi that they too may be considered woodland 

 plants. In dark ravines, by the sides of torrents and in the forests of 

 the Nikko region R. quinquefolium is plentiful, lighting up the dark and 



