HEATH FAMILY. 215 



trate, with rusty-bristly shoots, somewhat heart-shaped leaves slender-petiolcd, 

 and small clusters of rose-colored or almost white spicy-fragrant flowers in early 

 spring. 



9. CASSANDRA, LEATHER-LEAF. (A mythological name.) 



C. calycul^t.a. Wet bogs N. and mostly E. ; low much branched shmb, 

 with small and nearly evergreen dull oblong leaves sprinkled with some fine 

 scurf or scaly atoms, and small white flowers in the axils of the upper leaves 

 forming one-sided leafy racemes, in early spring. 



10. LEUCOTHOE. (Mythological name.) Flowers white, in naked 

 scaly-bracted racemes or spikes, which are formed in summer and open the 

 next year. ^ 



§ 1. Evergreens on moist banks of streams, with very smooth and glossy finely 

 and sharply serrate leaves ; the rather catkin-hke dense racemes sessile in 

 their axils ; bractlets at the base of the short pedicels ; fiowers in spring, 

 exhaling the scent of Chestnut-blossoms. 



L. CatesbSBi, abounds from Virginia S. along and near the mountains, 

 with long recun'ing branches, ovate-lanceolate and very taper-pointed leaves on 

 conspicuous petioles, and narrowish sepals. 



L. axillaris, belongs to the low country S., flowers very early, has broader 

 less pointed leaves on very short petioles, and broad-ovate sepals. 



§ 2. Deciduous-leaved, with one-sided looser racemes at the ends of the branches, 

 flowering in late spring or summer after the membranateous leaves are 

 developed; bractlets close to the calyx, acute. 



L. racembsa. Low grounds E. & S. ; erect, 4° - 8° high, with oblong 

 acute serrulate leaves a little downy beneath, long and upright racemes, and 

 4-awned anthers. 



11. ANDBOMEDA. (Mythological name.) Flowers white, rarely tinged 

 with rose, mostly in spring. 



§ 1 . Flowers in naked one-sided racemes crowded at the end of the branches, forrnxd 

 in summer and opening early the next spring : leaves evergreen. 



A. floriblinda. Along the Alleghanies S. and planted for ornament ; 

 .3°- 10° high, very leafy, the lance-oblong acute leaves serrulate with very fine 

 bristly teeth, abundance of handsome flowers, the ovate-urnshaped corolla 

 strongly 5-angled ; anthers 2-awned low on the back. 



§ 2. Flowers in umbel-like dusters : leaves evergreen : stamens 2-awned. 



A. polif61ia. Cold wet bogs N. ; 6' - 1 8' high, smooth and glaucous ; 

 - with lanceolate entire revolute leaves white beneath, flowers in a simple termi- 

 nal umbel, the corolla almost globular. 



A. nitida. Low pine-bai^rens from North Carolina S. ; 2° - 6° high, very 

 smooth, with 3-angled brancnlets, ovate or oblong and entire glossy leaves, 

 abundant honey-scented flowers in numerous asollary clusters, and ovate- 

 cylindrical coroUa. 



§ 3. Flowers in umbel-like clusters on wood of the previous year, in late spring or 

 early summer : leaves mostly deciduous, but often thickish or coriaceous : pods 

 5-angled by a prominent rib or ridge at the lines of o/iening. 

 * Flowers y or more long, nodding, smooth, clvstered mostly on leafless shoots : 



stamens 2-awned. Smooth ornamental shrubs, 2° -4° high. 

 A. Bpecibsa. Low barrens S., barely hardy N. in cultivation ; with oval 

 or oblong blunt and serrate leaves, often mealy-whitened ; corolla open bell- 

 shaped. 



A. Mariina, Staggee-bush (the foliage said to poison lambs and calves). 

 Low grounds E. & S. ; with glossy oval or oblong entire veiny leaves, and 

 leaf-like lanceolate sepals half the length of the almost cylindrical corolla. 



