HEATH FAMILY. 217 



* * * Leaves tardily deciduous, thickisk: fmvers borne on the naked shoots in 



earliest spring: coiolla almost wheel-sluiped, bright rose-purple. 

 B.Daiiricum, cult, from Siberia; a low shrub, with small oblonc leaves 

 H' -2' long) sprmkled with minute dots, becoming rusty beneath. 



15. AZALEA. (Name in Greek means arid; not applicable to these orna- 

 mental shrubs, which grow in low, wet, or shady grounds.) 



§ 1. Chinese Azaleas, with ihickish almost or quite evergreen leaves rather 



leafy calyx, short-tubed corolla approaching to bell-shaped, and often 10 



stamens, — therefore in strictness rather Rhododendrons : 



A. Indica, cult, from China and Japan, &c., is however the Azalea of 



florists, flowering in late winter and early spring in conservatories, with red 



purple, pmk, white or variegated showy flowers, green rather shining leaves! 



and shoots beset with appressed awl-shaped rusty bristles. 



§ 2. Tecb Azaleas or False Honeysuckles, mth deciduous leaves, slen- 

 der cylindrical tube to the corolla, the chiefly 5 stamens and the style long 

 and protruded : hardy ornamental shrubs. 



* Flowers developed later than the leaves, in summer, very fragrant. 

 A. viscdsa, Clammy A. Swamps E. & S. ; 4° - 10° high, with bristly 

 branchlets, oblong-obovate mostly smooth leaves commonly pale or whitish 

 beneath, often glossy above, and white or rosy-tinged very clammy flowers. 



* * Flowers developed with or rather before the thin and veiny mostly pubescent 



leaves, in lale spring, slightly fragrant. 



A. nudifl6ra, Pukple A. or Pinxter-flowee. Swamps, chiefly E. & S. ; 

 3° - 6° high, with oblong or obovate loaves ; branchlets and narrow tube of the 

 rose or pink-red corolla rather glandular-pubescent, and calyx very small. 



A. caleudul^ea. Flame-colored A. In and near the AUeghanies, 

 especially S., and cult, in hybrid forms ; has yellow or flame-colored corolla and 

 larger calyx-lobes than the preceding. 



A. F6ntica, planted from the Old World, a native of the Caucasus ; has 

 larger (2' or more broad) golden or orange-yellow flowers, terminating naked 

 branches, the tube clammy-downy. 



16. RHODORA. (Name made from the Greek word for Hose, from the 

 color of the flowers and general likeness to Rhododendron.) 



R. Canadensis. Cold wet grounds, from Penn. N. & E. : low shrub, with 

 handsome rose-pink flowers in spring, somewhat eai'lier than the pale rather 

 hairy leaves. 



17. LBIOPHYLLUM, SAND -MYRTLE. (Name from the Greek, 

 meaning smooth leaf * 



L. buzifdlium. In sand, from New Jersey S. ; evergreen shrub a few 

 inches high, much brancned, with oval or oblong Myrtle-like leaves (from 4' to 

 near ^ long), and umbelg of small white flowers in late spring. 



18. LEDUM, LABRADOR TEA. (An old Greek name.) Fl. cariy 

 summer. 



L. latifblium, Common or Bkoad-leated L. Low and damp or wet 

 grounds from Penn. N. ; 2° - 5° high, with oblong leaves, usually 5 stamens, 

 and oblong pods. 



19. CLETHRA,- WHITE ALDER. (Old Greek name of Alder, from 

 some resemblance in the foliage.) Fl. in summer. 



C. alnif61ia, the only common species, in low grounds, 3° - 10° high, with 

 wedge-obovate sharply serrate straight-veined leaves, and upright panicled 

 racemes of fragrant small flowers. 



