4. The seed-bud and pointal. The figure which accompanies this description represents a beautiful plant, which is probably an hybrid one; generated between some Azalea and the pontic Rhododendron. It is reported to have been raised some time since in the Nursery at Mile-end, from seeds which were grown in this country. In appearance, and in the structure of the leaves, it resembles its supposed mother the Rhododendron ponticum; but in their deciduous nature, and in some parts of the inflorescence; and likewise in other particulars; it betrays a considerable similitude to the American Azaleæ. The pontic Rhododendron is a very sportive species; varies much in the formation and colour of its corolla; and we cultivate a strong variety of it with the flowers of R. maximum. The present variety has not any of its undulated flowers spotted with yellow, no more than that which is figured by Pallas in Flora Rossica: yet the spotting of the three superior segments of the corolla is pretty constant in most of the varieties which we have examined; and is even present, although faintly, in R. maximum. Our figure was taken at Whitley and Brames’s in the month of May. [Illustration] PLATE CCCLXXX. ACHYRANTHES PORRIGENS. _Divaricating Achyranthes._ CLASS V. ORDER I. _PENTANDRIA MONOGYNIA._ Five Chives. One Pointal. ESSENTIAL GENERIC CHARACTER. FLORES incompleti, inferi. Calyx 5-phyllus. Corolla 0. Stigma 2-fidum. Semina solitaria. FLOWERS incomplete, beneath. Empalement 5-leaved. Corolla none. Summit 2-cleft. Seeds solitary. SPECIFIC CHARACTER, &C. ACHYRANTHES, foliis oppositis, lanceolatis, spicis ovatis, acutis. _Jacq. Hort. Schœnb. 3. 349. t. 350._ ACHYRANTHES, with leaves opposite, spear-shaped, and egg-shaped sharp-pointed spikes. DESCRIPTIO. Suffrutex ramulis distantibus, filiformibus, canescentibus. _Folia_ opposita, elliptico-ovata, breviter petiolata, obsolete venosa, supra pallide viridia lente pubescentia; subtus pallidiora magisque pubescentia. _Flores_ dichotome-paniculati, divaricati, capitulis ovalibus, persistentibus, ante et post exsiccationem læte purpureis pulchellisque, ut in Gomphrenâ perenni. REFERENCE TO THE PLATE. 1. A flower complete. 2. The empalement magnified. 3. The blossom magnified. 4. The same cut open. 5. The seed-bud and pointal.