Shrubs or small trees. Leaves alternate, persistent or tardily deciduous, petioled, entire, firm in texture. Flowers mostly white, in axillary bracted umbels, the pedicels commonly 1-3-bracteolate. Calyx deeply 5-parted, the lobes ovate, acute, valvate in the bud, soon spreading, persistent. Corolla urceolate-cylindric, 5-toothed, the teeth recurved. Stamens 10, included; filaments narrow, glabrous, pubescent or ciliate, 2-toothed or 2-spurred at or below the apex; anthers oblong or ovoid, the sacs opening by large terminal oval pores, awnless. Disk 10-lobed. Ovary 5-celled; ovules numerous; style columnar; stigma truncate. Capsule globose or ovoid, 5-angled, 5-celled, the sutures thickened. Seeds numerous, linear-oblong, not winged, clavate or falcate, the testa smooth, membranous. [Name as in the preceding genus.]

Two species, natives of eastern North America. Type species: Andromeda mariana L.

I. Neopieris Nitida (Bartr.) Britton. Fetter-Bush

Fig. 3243

Andromeda nitida Bartr.; Marsh. Arb. Amer. 8.

1788. Pieris nitida Benth. & Hook. Gen. Pl. 2: 588.

1876.

A glabrous shrub, 2°-6° high, the branches slender, ascending or erect, leafy, acutely angled, sparingly black-dotted. Leaves short-petioled, coriaceous, evergreen, shining, oblong, oval, oblong-lanceolate, or obovate, acuminate or acute at the apex, narrowed at the base, somewhat black-dotted beneath, the margins entire, revolute, bordered by an intra-marginal nerve; flowers in axillary umbels, nodding or spreading; pedicels 2"-4" long; calyx-segments ovate-lanceolate, rigid, purplish, valvate in the bud, soon spreading; corolla white or red, ovoid-cylindric, narrowed at the throat, 3"-4" long; filaments 2-spurred; style thickened above the middle; capsule globose, about as long as the calyx-segments; seed's club-shaped.

In wet woods, southeastern Virginia to Florida and Louisiana. Erroneously recorded from Cuba. Pipe-stem. April-May.

2. Neopieris Mariàna (L.) Britton. Stagger-Bush

Fig. 3244

Andromeda mariana L. Sp. Pl. 393. 1753. Pieris mariana Benth. & Hook. Gen. Pl. 2: 588. 1876.

A shrub, 1°-4° high, the branches nearly erect, slender, glabrous or nearly so, black-dotted. Leaves rather thin, tardily deciduous, oval or oblong, glabrous above, sparingly pubescent on the veins and black-dotted beneath, acute or obtuse, narrowed or sometimes obtuse at the base, entire, 2'-3' long, the margins slightly revolute; flowers nodding in lateral umbels on the nearly leafless branches of the preceding season, forming an elongated compound inflorescence; calyx-segments lanceolate, acuminate, almost foliaceous, deciduous; corolla ovoid-cylindric, white, or faintly pink, 5"-6" long; filaments pubescent on the outer side, usually with 2 setose appendages below the summit; capsule ovoid-pyramidal, 1 1/2"-2" high, truncate, about as long as the sepals; seeds club-shaped.

In sandy soil, Rhode Island to Florida, mostly near the coast, extending west to Tennessee and Arkansas. Sorrel-tree. Wicks. May-July.