Heath Family 333 
Leucothoe. Four species of southern North American heathers, 
small, graceful shrubs; nearly or entirely evergreen, with small, pinkish 
to white, bell-shaped flowers in racemes, and appearing early. They 
require moisture and partial shade. 
* T, Catesbet Gray (20), although found on streams from Virginia 
to Georgia, it is a hardy dwarf (two to three feet) with long, arching 
sprays of broad, dark, glossy foliage on slender, recurved branches, 
bronzing in winter, larger than the leaves of the rhododendron, with 
which it groups well. Its pretty pure white flowers, in racemes from 
the axils of the leaves (April, May) emit an odor not agreeable to every- 
body. The purple hue of the buds adds to its beauty. It forms a 
most excellent ground cover. 
* I. racemosa Gray (21), one of the most desirable of the family, 
growing in swamps from Massachusetts to Texas, along the coast; is 
a hardy, low shrub (three to four feet), with rich, glossy, green, oval, 
but deciduous foliage; with very fragrant, elegant, white, waxy flowers 
(April, June) in long terminal racemes, and with a bright red bark 
which adds to its attractiveness. 
L. acuminata Don. (22), the Tit of South Carolina and Florida, 
and L. axillaris Don. (23), the first a larger, the second a smaller plant 
than the preceding, with their flowers from the axils ef leaves and 
branches, possess hardly any points of superiority. 
Pieris (Andromeda). Of the ten or twelve species distributed over 
North America and western Asia, three native and one exotic are 
especially useful for their very early flowers, as a rule white and bell- 
shaped, of chaste and delicate beauty in drooping racemes. The ever- 
green foliage of some species is also ornamental. The natives are very 
hardy and thrive best in partial shade. All are to be used like, and 
in combination with, others of the family. 
P. Mariana B. &. H. (24), Stagger Bush, two to four feet; native 
from New England to Florida and Texas; in wet, low ground; is decidu- 
ous, with large (two to three inches), oval leaves, and white to pale 
pink, bell-shaped flowers in graceful, nodding racemes, appearing 
(April, May) before the leafing on the old wood. 
* P. floribunda Benth & Hook. (26), Mountain Fetter-bush, another 
compact and well-rounded, but smaller evergreen (two to six feet); native 
from the mountains of Virginia to Georgia, and very hardy. Of this 
species Davis writes “No one should think of planting any consider- 
able number of ornamental shrubs without including this charming 
