AZA'LEA VARIEGA'TA. 
VAKIEGATED AZALEA. 
Class. 
PENTANDRIA. 
Natural Order. 
ERICACEAE. 
Order. 
M0N0GYN1A. 
Native of 
Height. 
Flowers in 
Habit. 
Introduced 
China. 
_ 
4 feet. 
May. 
Shrub. 
in 1822. 
No. 1230. 
The diy and arid situations inhabited by the 
original Azalea, occasioned the adoption of this 
name, from the Greek word azaleos, dry. 
We here adopt the name Azalea from its univer- 
sal use, at the same time we wish it to be under- 
stood, that no distinctive botanical character exists 
between Azalea and Rhododendron which can sepa- 
rate them into distinct genera. Hence all are now 
named Rhododendron, excepting the single species 
which we published at No. 1184. Variegata, too, is 
but a popular name, this plant being a Chinese 
variety of Indica. These minor anomalies cannot, 
all at once, be swept away. The advice of an old 
author deserves some attention — ‘‘Think to rule 
and speak to custom. 
Rhododendrons, now included in the order Eri- 
caceae, were formerly included in an order apart from 
the Ericaceae or Heaths, but their separation, found- 
ed on the dehiscence, or splitting of the capsule, is 
now not esteemed sufficiently important to warrant 
their separation. 
Much attention has of late been paid to the for- 
cing of Azaleas, and splendid specimens of them 
