Tab. 7361. 



RHODODENDRON irroratum. 

 Native of China. 



Nat. Ord. Ericaceae. — Tribe Ehodore^e. 

 Genus Ehododendron, Linn. ; (Benth. & Ilooh.f. Gen. Plant, vol. ii. p. 599.) 



Ehododendron (Eurhododendron) irroratum ; frutex ramosus, ramulis crassius- 

 culis, ultimis puberulis, foliis breviter petiolatis oblongis lanceolatisve 

 mucronatis basi cuneatis glaucis glaberrimis rigidis nervis utrinque 

 costm 12-15, floribus laxe glomeratis, pedicellis glaridulosis, calyce 

 minimo cupulari dense glanduloso lobis obscuris rotuudatis, corolla cam- 

 pauulata alba extus glabra intus basin versus puberula, lobis 5- 

 rotundatis, staminibus 10 inclusis, filamentis inferne brevissime ciliatis, 

 ovario glandulis minutis fuscis obtecto, stylo gracili ad apicem usque 

 glanduloso. 



E. irroratum, Franchet in Bull. Soc. Bot. France, vol. xxxiv. (1887) p. 280- 

 Ilemsl. in Journ. Linn. Soc. vol. xxvi. (1889) p. 26. 



Rhododendron irroratum, belongs to that group of the 

 genus which includes most .of the American species, to- 

 gether with the European 11. ponticum, and the Himalayan 

 H. arbor dim, and which is characterized by the large 

 shrubby habit, terminal inflorescence, small calyx, and 

 campanulate 5-lobed corolla. In habit and foliage it re- 

 sembles B. ponticum a good deal, differing in the long 

 corolla-tube, and cupular calyx. It was discovered in 

 woods at Peetsaolo, near Lankong, in the mountainous 

 district of Yunnan, at an elevation of about 8000 ft. 

 by the Abbe Delavay, who sent seeds to the Jardin des 

 Plantes. Of the seedlings there raised one was sent to the 

 Royal Gardens, Kew, in 1890, which flowered in a small 

 oreenhouse in September, 1893, when only a foot high, and 

 Snbranched. It is certainly in its present condition the 

 least ornamental species of the genus known to me ; it is 

 to be hoped that it may prove more attractive as it grows 

 older, or afford better coloured varieties. The flowers are 

 described by Franchet as white, but those of our plant 

 have the corolla-lobes suffused with rose, and faint spots 

 of the same colour occur within the tube. 



June 1st, 1894. 



