Tas. 7681, 
RHODODENDRON opitaratvum. 
vative of Jupan. 
Nat. Ord. Ertcacex.—Tribe RuoporEx. 
Genus RuopopEenDron, Linn. ; (Benth. & Hook. f. Gen. Plant. vol. ii. p. 599.) 
RHODODENDRON (Azalea) di/atatum; frutex fere glaberrimus, ramis ramulisque 
ternis gracilibus cortice atro-fusco indutis, novellis roseis, foliis apicibus 
ramulorum solum evolutis ternis petiolatis 1}-2-pollicaribus rhombeo- 
ovatis subacutis basi acutis tenuiter chartaceis supra lete viridibus 
sanguineo-tinctis, subtus pallide viridibas subglaucis, nervis utrinque 
cost 3-5 supra gracillimis subtus prominulis ultimis reticulatis, petiolo 
4-3 poll. longo gracile roseo, floribus preecocibus apicibus ramulorum binis, 
geminis apbyllis bracteis multiseriatim imbricatis ovatis viridibus demum 
recurvis tectis, pedicellis breviusculis rubris setulosis et glandulosis, calyce 
truncato glanduloso, corolla profunde bilabiata rosea 2-poll. diam., intus 
basin versus ecolorata, tubo brevi campanulato, Jabio superiore ad 
medium trifido lobis ovato-oblongis obtusis, inferiore bipartito segmentis 
oblongis obtusis, staminibus 5 declinatis filamentis 3 corolla longioribus 
2 brevioribus omnibus glaberrimis roseis, antheris parvis fuscis, ovario 
oblongo lepidoto, stylo filiformi declinato stigmate minuto. 
R. dilatatum, Mig. Ann. Mus. Bot. Lugd. Bat. vol. i. p. 34. Franch. & Sav. 
Enum. Pl. Jap. vol. ii. p. 164. Maxim. Rhod. As. Or. in Mem, Acad. 
Petersb. ser. vii. vol. xvi. No. 9, pp. 25, 27. 
Aza ea dilatata, Hort. 
The nearest, and indeed very near ally of Rhododendron 
dilatatum is R. rhombicum, Mig. (see tab. 6972), also a 
native of Japan, which differs in being of a stouter habit, 
with more persistent pubescent leaves, hirsute branchlets, 
smaller flowers, ten much shorter stamens, and the ovary 
and lower part of the style villous. : 
fk. dilatatum was discovered by Siebold early in the 
century. There are native specimens in the Kew Her- 
barium from the mountains of Okayama and Hakone, 
in the province of Sagami, Nippon; and a cultivated 
one from Messrs. Veitch, dated April, 1885, who were, 
no doubt, the introducers of the species into England. 
The drawing here given is from a plant which flowered 
in the Royal Gardens, Kew, in April, 1899, and was in 
full leaf in June of the same year. It was procured in 
1893 from the Yokohama Gardeners’ Association in 
Japan, and appears to be hardy. Both foliage and 
flowers are quite inodorous. 
OctToBER Ist, 1899. 
