AZALEA, in botany, of the Pentan dria Monogynia class and order. Natural order, Bicornes ; Rhodod endri a, Jussieu. Essential character, corolla bell-shaped ; stamina inserted into the receptacle ; capsule five-celled. There are seven species. A. Pontica much resembles the rhododendron ponticum, but it has five stamens and yellow corollas, not ten sta mens and violet-coloured corollas, as that has. The leaves are smaller, ovate, and ciliate ; a native of Pontus. A. indica is a shrub three feet in height, with a trunk an inch thick, having a rough cinereous brown bark ; the branches are short, twisted and irre:sular ; leaves stiff villose, close and evergreen ; beautiful bright red flowers cover the whole upper part of the shrub. Native of the East Indies ; much cultivated in Japan for the elegance of its flowers, and the variety in their size and colours. A. viscosa is a low shrub, rising with several slender stems nearly four feet high. The leaves come out in clusters at the ends of the shoots, without order : the flowers come forth in clusters between the leaves, and have the appear.
nonce of those of the honey-suckle, and are as agreeably scented. They appear in the middle of July, but do not bring forth seeds in England. The Pontic and Indian species have not yet been cultivat ed in Europe. The Viscosa grows na turally in shade, and upon moist ground, in most parts of North America, from whence many of the plants have been sent of late years to England, and several of them have produced their beautiful flowers. They must have a moist soil, and a shady situation, otherwise they will not thrive ; they can only be propagated by shoots from their roots, and laying down their branches. The best time for laying down the young shoots is at Mi chaelmas, and if they are covered with some old tan, to keep out the frost, it will be of great use to them.