Tas. 8163, 
RHODODENDRON INTRICATUM. 
China. 
Exicacear. Tribe RHoDOREAE. 
RuopopEnpkon, Linn.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant. vol. ii, p. 599. 
Rhododendron (Osmothamnus) intricatum, Franch. in Journ. de Bot. 1895, 
vol, ix. p. 395; Hemsl. in Gard. Chron. 1907, vol. xli. p. 262, f. 111; inter 
Species sinenses hujus sectionis staminibus inclusis 2. thymifolio, Maxim., 
proxima, ab eo tamen differt imprimis floribus majoribus saepissime 
quinatis. 
Frutex densissime ramosus, demum 10-80 cm. altus, sed plantae cultae 10-15 em. 
altae jam florentes. Rami primum ferrugineo-squamosi. Folia persis- 
tentia, crassa, breviter petiolata, ovali-oblonga vel interdum fere orbicularia, 
cum petiolo 0-5-1 cm. longa, utrinque densissime lepidota, subtus alba. 
Perulae trimorphae, ciliatae, exteriores fere orbiculares, intermediae 
spathulatae, exterioribus longiores, interiores lineares. Corymbi terminales 
saepissime 5-flori. Flores brevissime pcdunculati, violacei vel lilacini, 
antheris aurantiacis, circiter 2 cm. diametro. Calycis dentes brevissimi, 
inaequales, triangulares, parce lepidoti. Corollae tubus brevis, intus 
puberulus; lobi aequales, oblongi, rotundati, patentes, leviter undulati. 
Stamina 10, corollae tubum vix excedentia. Ovariwm lepidotum ; stylus 
glaber, quam stamina dimidio brevior. Oapsula circiter 0°5 cm. longa.— 
Rhododendron nigro-punctatum, Hort., Gard. Chron. 1907, vol. xli. p. 225; 
Journ. Hort. 3rd series, 1907, vol. liv. p. 8343 cum fig., non Franch. 
Nearly a score of species of Rhododendron belonging to 
the section Osmothamnus have been collected in China, and 
at least half-a-dozen of these are closely allied to R. 
intricatum, and are with difficulty distinguished in the dried 
state. In foliage, especially, the resemblance is very strong ; 
but they differ, some in having solitary flowers, some in 
having long, exserted stamens, and in other not very 
obvious characters. The species here figured was at first 
taken to be &. nigro-punctatum, Franch., and Messrs. James 
Veitch and Sons, to whom Kew is indebted for the plant 
from which the present figure has been made, were awarded 
a First Class Certificate for it under that name at a meeting 
of the Royal Horticultural Society on April 2 of the present 
year. Subsequently Prof. H. Lecomte kindly lent to Kew 
the types of the numerous species described by the late 
Mr. A. Franchet, and has thus made it possible to identify 
our plant with 2. intricatum. 
Novemssr, 1907. 
