EEICACE^E. 



121 



RHODODENDRON. 



Gen. Char. (Decandria Monogynia^) Calyx five-parted ; corolla 

 somewhat funnel-shaped ; stamens separate and drooping ; ovary 

 superior; capsule five-celled. 



The name is derived from the Greek for rose and tree. 

 Of this beautiful genus, so useful and ornamental in the 

 garden, there are some species which require the shelter of 

 the greenhouse, as R. arboreum, called the Tree Rhododen- 

 dron, a native of India, and having scarlet flowers ; the va- 

 rieties, of which there are many, have cinnamon, carmine, 

 or rose-coloured flowers, others are snowy-white, or having 

 dark spots, and new characters and colours are being con- 

 stantly produced, making the genus one of great interest. 

 These plants can hardly be surpassed in beauty, and they 

 are quite worthy of much care and attention : they are in- 

 habitants of moist and yet elevated positions. Dr. Hooker's 

 elaborate and beautiful work on those he found on the Hi- 

 malaya Mountains should be referred to by those who are 

 partial to this lovely genus ; many of these are now intro- 

 duced into greenhouses, but they are not yet common. 

 They should have similar treatment to the Azalea. 



