Tab. 6769. 
RHODODENDRON MULTICOLOR. 
Native of Sumatra. 
Nat. Ord. Ertcex.—Tribe Rooporex. 
Genus Ruopopenpkon, Linn, ; (Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Pl. vol. ii. p. 599.) 
RHODODENDRON multicolor; fruticulus glaberrimus parce lepidotus, foliis verti- 
cillatis breviter petiolatis anguste elliptico-lanceolatis utrinque attenuatis, 
floribus terminalibus paucis subumbellatis, bracteis caducis oblongis pedicellos 
zequantibus, calyce obscuro cupulari, corolla infundibulari-campanulate 5-loba 
lobis rotundatis v. late ovatis, staminibus 10, antheris vix exsertis, ovario 
glanduloso 5-loculari, capsula lignosa recta 5-loculari. 
R. multicolor, Miguel Fl. Ind. Bat. Suppl. vol. i. p. 586. 
The mountains of Sumatra, like all others of tropical 
Kast Asia, appear to abound in Rhododendrons. Miquel, 
- in the supplement to the “ Flora of the Dutch East Indies,” 
which volume deals solely with Sumatran plants, enume- 
rates six species, of which three are also natives of Java, 
namely, 2. javanicum, Benn. (tab. nost. 4336), R. cétrinum, 
Hassk. (tab. 4797), and BR. retusum, Benn. (tab, 4859). 
There is also figured in this work &. malayanum, Jack. 
(tab. 6045), originally found in Sumatra, but is now known 
to be identical with RF. tubiflorum, DC., of Java, and R. 
celebicwm, DC., of the Celebes, and to which R. lampongum, 
Miquel, of Sumatra, also belongs. 
From all the above R. multijlorum is very distinct in the 
foliage, and though it approaches &. citrinwm in the shape 
of the corolla, it differs from it in the absence of calyx-lobes, 
and in the stamens being twice as numerous. As far as can 
- be judged, without having seen ripe capsules and seeds, it 
is referable to the same group of the genus as the Indian 
BR. formosum (tab. 4457) and &. cinnabarinum (tab. 4788), 
Most of the Malayan species, however, belong to another 
section of the genus (Vireya), in which the valves of the 
capsule twist after dehiscence, the placentz separate from 
the axis, and the seeds are very long-tailed at both ends. 
avuGusT lst, 1884, 
