as being very variable in colour. Mr. Williams says with 
regard to this Rhododendron that perhaps sufficient is not 
yet known as to the most suitable situation, but in cases 
where a choice is possible it would be preferable, judging 
from its behaviour under conditions to which it has 
already been subjected, to select a cool damp slope with 
no overhead shade, with an eastern aspect or one even 
to the north of east, but with at the same time shelter 
from wind. R&. dichroanthum is closely allied to R. nerii- 
florum, Franch., figured at t. 8727 of this work, but is 
readily distinguished by the mealy hairy covering on 
the under surface of the leaves and by the puberulous 
filaments. Both species are remarkable for the presence 
of large outgrowths within the base of the corolla-tube. 
Description.—Shrub, evergreen; year-old twigs glabrescent, about 4 in. 
thick, with pale brown bark ; young shoots closely covered with a webbed white 
tomentum. Leaves when mature oblong-lanceolate, narrowed at the base, 
mucronate and rounded at the tip, 2}-3 in. long, 3-1} in. wide, firmly papery, 
glabrous above and reticulate with sunk venation (young leaves with a thin 
webbed tomentum), beneath clothed with a nearly white scurfy tomentum ; 
mid-rib sunk above, raised beneath, glabrous ; lateral nerves from 6-8 on each side 
of the mid-rib, slightly sunk above and raised beneath, disappearing towards the 
leaf-margin and leaving the mid-rib at an-angle of 45°; petiole about 4 in. long, 
nearly glabrous, channelled above. | Inflorescence shortly umbellately racemose, 
loosely 5-7-flowered ; axis 1 in. long, glabrous; pedicels ultimately nodding, 
+ in, long, crisply puberulous, Calyx brightly coloured, variable in shape, 
sometimes as much as lin. long, 5-lobed nearly to the base; lobes imbricate, 
rounded at the tip, glabrous or at times shortly and sparingly ciliolate. Corolla 
purplish-red, wide tubular, 5-lobed ; tube 14-13 in. long; about Zin. wide at 
the mouth, saccate-lobulate at the base within, glabrous; lobes spreading or 
recurved, short, emarginate. Stamens 10, as long as the corolla-tube ; filaments 
sparingly puberulous towards the base; anthers about 5 in. long, blackish- 
purple. Ovary 6-celled, tomentose ; style shortly exserted, glabrous, tipped by 
the small stigma. Capsules not yet seen. 
Tas. 8815.—Fig. 1, part of a leaf; 2, 
oo) calyx and pistil; 3, part of corolla seen 
from within; 4, stamen; 5, anther ; ; : 
6, ovary :—all enlarged. 
