Lowseleuria. | XLV. ERICACEA. 283 
only differ from many Rhododendrons in their deciduous leaves. Lozse- 
leuria differs from all these in its opposite leaves. | 
1, L. procumbens, Desy. (fig. 632). Zrailing Lowseleuria, Azalea, 
procumbens, Linn.).—Leaves numerous, evergreen, only 2 or 3 lines long, 
ovate or oblong, shining on their upper side, with the edges rolled back. 
Flowers small and rose-coloured, in short terminal clusters. Valves of the 
capsule usually shortly split at the top. 
On mountain moors, in northern and Arctic Europe, Asia and America, 
and in the high alpine chains of central Europe. In Britain only in the 
Highland mountains from Ben Lomond northwards. 1. spring. 
VI, MENZIESIA. MENZIESIA. 
Heath-like, low shrubs, with scattered leaves, and blue or pink flowers, 
in terminal racemes. Sepals 4 or 5. Corolla deciduous, ovoid, with 4 or 5 
short lobes. Stamens 8 or 10. Capsule free, with 4 or 5 cells, opening in 
as many valves by the splitting of the partitions. 
A small northern and west European genus, artificially distinguished 
from Andromeda by the manner in which the capsule opens, from Hrica 
by the deciduous corolla, from ZLoiseleurta by the number of stamens. It 
has been divided by modern botanists into almost as many genera as there 
are species. 
Flowers pink, with 4lobes, Leaves white underneath . 5 . 1. W. polifolia. 
Flowers blue, with 5lobes. Leaves green on both sides : - 2. M. cerulea. 
1, M. polifolia, Sm. (fig. 633). St. Dabeoc’s Menziesia, St. Dabeoc’s 
Heath.—A low shrub, rather straggling at the base, with ascending flower- 
ing branches, clothed with short, rather viscid hairs. Leaves small, the 
lower ones ovate, the upper ones narrow, all green above, and very white 
underneath. Flowers very elegant, nearly 6 lines long, pink, or sometimes 
white, drooping from short pedicels, in a loose terminal raceme. Corolla 
with 4 very short, spreading lobes. Stamens 8. Capsule 4-celled. Dabe- 
ocia polifolia, Don. 
A strictly west European plant; common on the heathy wastes of the 
Asturias and south-western France, and extending up to Connemara in 
Ireland, but unknown in Great Britain. FV. summer. 
2. WE. cverulea, Sm. (fig. 634). Blue Menziesia.—A small, much 
branched shrub. Leaves evergreen, crowded, linear, green on both sides, 
and bordered with minute, glandular teeth, scarcely visible without a mag- 
nifying-glass. Flowers of a purplish blue, on long pedicels, clustered three 
or four together, in very short terminal racemes or umbels. Corolla 4 or 5 
lines long, with 5 very short lobes. Stamens 10. Capsule 5-celled. Phyllo- 
doce cerulea, Bab. 
On mountain-heaths, in northern and Arctic Europe, Asia, and America. 
In Britain only on the mountain called the Sow of Athol, in Perthshire, 
where it is exceedingly rare. FV. summer. 
VIl. ERICA. HEATH. 
Much-branched shrubs, usually low, but in some species attaining 8 or 
10 feet, with small, entire leaves, usually in whorls of 3 or 4, but sometimes 
opposite or scattered, and almost always rolled back on their edges. Flowers 
either axillary or in short terminal racemes or clusters, mostly drooping. 
