E R I C A C E JE. 427 



celebrity in calculous complaints. De Haen and Van Swieten speak of its 

 good results in such cases, and Drs. B. S. Barton and Bigelow also notice it 

 favourably as alleviating the symptoms. In consequence of its apparent 

 powers in mucous discharges of the bladder, an extended trial of it was made 

 by Dr. Bourne, of Oxford, in affections of the lungs, the results of which 

 were decidedly encouraging, and subsequent trials of it by Mr. Davie prove 

 that it is capable of allaying the irritability of the system, so constant an at- 

 tendant on chronic diseases of the lungs. 



As an astringent it is applicable to all the purposes for which the vegetable 

 astringents are generally employed, as in leucorrhoea, diarrhoea, &c. It is 

 administered in powder, in doses of a scruple to a drachm, but the decoction 

 is generally preferred; this is made by boiling an ounce of leaves in a pint 

 and a half of water down to a pint, the dose of which is a wineglassful 

 several times a day. It has also been employed in extract, in doses of five 

 to fifteen grains. 



Rhododendron. — Linn, 



Calyx 5-parted. Corolla sub-infundibuliform, 5-cleft. Stamens 5 — 10, declinate, open- 

 ing- by two terminal pores. Capsule 5-celled, .5-valved, opening at the summit. 



This genus, which is now considered to include both Rhododendron and 

 Azalea of Linnseus, is extensive, and is principally found in temperate or cold 

 climates, or at such an elevation in more tropical latitudes as are equivalent 

 to them in temperature; all the species are shrubby, some very small, whilst 

 others attain the size of small trees. 



R. chrysanthum, Pallas. — Stem decumbent. Leaves ovate, oblong-, rough above, 

 paler or ferruginous and smooth beneath. Umbels terminal. Corolla irregular, nearly 

 rotate. 

 j 

 Linn., Suppl. 237 ; Stephenson and Churchill, ii. 80 ; Pallas, Fl. Ross. i. 

 44 ; Lindley, Flor. Med., 378. 



Common Name. — Yellow Rhododendron. 



Foreign Names. — Rose de Siberie, Fr. ; Rhododendro aureo, It. ; Alpro- 

 sen, Ger. 



Description. — Stem from a foot to a foot and a half high, with numerous, decumbent, 

 spreading branches, covered with a brown bark. The leaves are few, terminal, ovate, 

 coriaceous, narrowed below, upper surface reticulated and rough, of a dark-green colour, 

 the under pale or somewhat ferruginous, smooth, with their margins entire and involute. 

 The flowers are large, yellow, and supported on long peduncles ; they vary in number in 

 each cluster from five to ten. The calyx is inferior, persistent, and deeply five-cleft. 

 The corolla is also five-cleft, the lobes rounded, nearly equal, and spreading, the three 

 upper ones somewhat the largest and marked with livid dots, whilst the two lower are 

 unmarked. The stamens are ten, with equal, filiform, declining filaments, and oblong- 

 incumbent anthers. The ovary is five-sided, with a long slender style terminated by a 

 five-lobed stigma. The capsule is ovate, somewhat angular, not tomentose, five to ten- 

 celled, containing numerous minute, irregular seeds. 



This plant is a native of the mountains of Siberia, flowering in June and 

 July. It was first discovered and described by Pallas, who states, that in 

 Siberia it is called Sckei or tea, and that the leaves are used as we employ 

 those of the Chinese plant. They are collected for use in September, when 

 the capsules are ripe. When dried, they are inodorous, but have a bitterish, 

 austere taste, and a decoction of them has an unpleasant smell, and a rough, 



