Seven species of evergreen or deciduous shrubs. Leaves opposite, alternate, or in whorls, entire, leathery, occasionally sessile. Flowers in terminal or axillary clusters, corolla is 5-lobed, pleated with 10 pouches, 10 stamens with an anther in each pouch. Native to North America and Cuba. There are two species native to the Pacific Northwest, the Bog Laurels, K. occidentalis and K. microphylla (syn. K. polifolia var. microphylla), which are low shrublets.
Kalmia: after Peter Kalmia, Finnish student of Linnaeus.
Pronunciation:
KAL-mee-a
Family:
Ericaceae