Tas. 8727. 
RHODODENDRON NERIIFLORUM. 
Yunnan. 
EricacEAg. Tribe RHopOREAE. 
RHopopENDRON, Linn. ; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant. vol. ii. p. 599, 
Rhododendron neriiflorum, Franch. in Bull. Soc. Bot. Fr. vol. xxxiii. p. 230 
(1886); inter species chinenses foliis glabris infra glaucis, calyce magno 
coccineo, corolla coccinea 5-lobata, filamentis glabris, ovario et stylo basin 
versus tomentello valde distincta. 
Frutex laxe ramosus, usque ad 1°5 m. altus; ramuli purpurascentes, glabri, 
subteretes, annotini circiter 0°8 cm. crassi. Folia laxe disposita, longe 
petiolata, oblonga, apice rotundata et obtuse apiculata, basi obtusissima 
vel interdum breviter attenuata, 7-10 cm. longa, 2°5-4 cm. lata, rigide 
coriacea, supra laete viridia, infra glauco-viridia, glabra ; costa media supra 
leviter impressa, infra prominens, basi circiter 2°5 mm. lata et semiteres ; 
nervi laterales utrinsecus circiter 12, tenues, marginem versus evanidi et 
fiexuosi, venis delicate reticulatis infra subconspicuis; petiolus rubro- 
purpureus, 1°5-2 cm. longus, primum minute purpuraceo-puberulus, mox 
glaber. lores in capitulum subracemosum terminale circiter 8-florum 
dispositi; perulae exteriores obovatae, cuspidato-acuminatae, furfuraceo- 
puberulae, interiores oblongae ad lineares, sericeo-tomentosae; pedicelli 
circiter 1°3 cm. longi, breviter tomentosi. Calyx usque ad 1 cm. longus, 
inaequaliter lobatus, extra glaber, lobis purpureis breviter ciliatis. Corolla — 
coccineo-purpurea, tubulosa, 5-lobata; tubus glaber, basi saccatus et intra 
maculis purpureis ornatus, apicem versus paullo ampliatus, 2-2°5 em. 
longus, apice circiter 2 cm. diametro; lobi 5, profunde emarginati, ambitu 
rotundati, circiter 1°5 cm. longi. Stamina 10, corolla paullo breviora ; 
filamenta complanata, glabra; antherae atro-purpureae, 8 mm. longae. 
Ovarium 5-6-loculare, fiavo-tomentosum, conicum; stylus corolla aequi- 
longus, basin versus tomentellus. Fructus haud visus,—J. Hurcursoy, 
ao 
The charming Rhododendron here figured appears to be 
confined to the Tali range in Yunnan where it was 
originally discovered by the Abbé Delavay a generation 
ago. It has been repeatedly met with on the same range 
by Mr. G. Forrest, at altitudes of 9,000-11,000 feet. 
Plants have been raised by Mr. J. C. Williams, Caerhays 
Castle, Gorran, Cornwall, from seed collected by Mr. 
Forrest, and from one of these came the material for 
our plate. Mr. Williams informs us that 2. neriiflorum, 
which has now been in his collection some six years, 
SEPTEMBER, 1917, : 
