Tas. 8081, 
RHODODENDRON Vaseyr. 
North and South Carolina. 
Ericacez. Tribe Ruoporex. 
RuopopenEon, Lina.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant. vol. ii. p. 599. 
Rhododendron Vaseyi, A. Gray in Proc. Amer. Acad. vol. xv. (1880), p. 48. 
in Coulter's Bot. Gaz. vol. vill. p. 282, et Syn. Fl. N. Amer, vol. ii. pt. i. 
(ed. 2), p. 398; J. Donnell Smith in Bull. Torr. Bot. Club. vol. xv. p. 164; 
C. 8. 8S. in Garden and Forest, vol. i. (1888), p. 376, f. 60; Gard. Chron. 
1896, vol. ii. p. 71, f.14; 2. rhombico, Miq., valde affine, sed fere omnino 
glabratum, foliis angustioribus et longioribus, floribus minoribus, stamini- 
bas 4-7, capsula angustiore et longiore haud setosa differt. 
Frutex usque ad 18 ped. altus, ramulis gracilibus primum breviter pubescentibus 
demum glabrescentibus. Folia breviter petiolata, membranacea, vivide 
viridia, primum parce vel interdum infra dense pubescentia, mox fere 
glabrata, obovato-oblonga vel oblongo-lanceolata, 23-5 poll. longa, 7-1 
poll. lata, utrinque acuta vel acuminata. Fores precoces, inodori, 4-8 in 
apicibus ramulorum umbellatim dispositi. Pedicelli circiter 5 lin. longi, 
post anthesin recurvati, cum calyce parvo truncato glandulis stipitatis 
instructi. Corolla vivide rosea vel purpurea, interdum fere alba, lobis 
posticis intus basi rubro-punctatis, glaberrima, rotato-campanulata, 
subbilabiata, circiter 1 poll. longa et 14 poll. in diam.; lobi oblongi vel 
oblongo-obovati, 3 postici 7-9 lin. longi, anticis late patentibus paulum 
breviores. Stamina 5 vel 7, rare 4, inzequalia, longiora ut stylus corollam 
paulum superantia. Ovariwm glandulis stipitatis dense instructum. 
Capsula anguste oblonga. vel oblongo-ovoidea, circiter 4 poll. longa, 
reliquiis glandularum scabriuscula, basi styli coronata. 
While possessing many of the qualities of a valuable 
plant for cultivation in our gardens, Rhododendron Vasey 
is botanically of considerable interest as an illustration of 
the relationship between the flora of the South-Eastern 
United States and that of China and Japan. The plant 
here figured is known only from North and South Carolina. 
It is totally different from all the other American Rhodo- 
dendrons, while it has a good deal in common with species 
confined to Japan. Asa Gray, in describing f. Vaseyi, 
states that ‘‘The American Azaleas previously known 
consist of one aberrant species, R. Rhodora, and of a 
well-marked group (to which R, ponticum also belongs) 
characterized by a long-tubed funnel-form corolla and 
long exserted stamens and style. But the Hast Asiatic 
species of the same true Azalea subgenus have campanulate 
JUNE Ist, 1906. 
