Tas. 8831, 
RHODODENDRON LEDOIDEs. 
Yunnan. 
Eirrcacksk, Tribe RHopOREAE. 
Ruopopenproy, Linn.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant. vol. ii. p. 599. 
Rhododendron ledoides, Balf. f. et W. W. Sm. in Notes Roy. Bol. Gard. 
Edinb. vol. ix. p. 243 (1916) ; affinis R. cephalantho, Franch., sed ramulis 
gracilibus, foliis longioribus et angustioribus, perulis deciduis, floribus 
minoribus differt. 
Fruticulus virgatus, fastigiatim vel subpatule ramosus, usque ad 0°7 m. altus; 
ramuli annotini squamis laxis brunneis et pilis breviter setosis obtecti; 
alabastra anguste ovoidea, subacuta, perulis dense lepidotis et pilis 
debilibus ciliatis. Folia lineari-lanceolata, minute mucronata, ad basin 
angustata, 2-8 em. longa, 0°5-0°8 cm. lata, crasse coriacea, margine 
revoluta, supra atroviridia, obscure venulosa et squamis minutis satis 
densis notata, infra squamis stipitatis dense imbricatis fulvis obtecta ; 
costa media supra sulcata, infra elevata et hine demum laxe lepidota ; 
petiolus 8 mm. longus, supra sulcatus, dense lepidotus. lores rosei, in 
umbellam depresse globosam circiter 4°5 cm. diametro congesti; perulae 
externae plus minusve ovatae, usque ad 1 cm. longae, extra crebre 
lepidotae, dense ciliatae; pedicelli 1:5 mm. longi, laxe lepidoti. Calyx 
parvus, circiter 1-25 mm. longus, fere ad basin fissus, lobis imbricatis late _ 
rotundatis extra parce lepidotis ciliatis. Corollae tubus subcylindricus, 
0-8-1 cm. longus, extra glaber, intus villosulus, limbo patulo 1°5-1°8 em. 
expanso, lobis oblongo-orbicularibus marginibus undulatis. Stamina 5, 
inclusa, circiter 4 mm. longa, filamentis minute puberulis; antherae 
oblongae. Ovarium 5-loculare, squamis contiguis parvis dense lepidotum ; 
stylus ovario paullo brevior, stigmate 5-lobulato coronatus. Fructus 
8 mm. longus, breviter stipitatus, lepidotus.—J. HurcHinson. 
Rhododendron ledoides is a charming plant, with the 
habit of a Ledum, which belongs to a group of forms, of 
which some fifteen are now known, spoken of as the 
Cephalanthum series of Rhododendrons. Nearly all of 
the members of this series have been discovered by 
Mr. George Forrest and Mr. Kingdon Ward. The 
headquarters of the group are at very high altitudes on 
the ridges which constitute the Tibeto-Yunnan frontier. 
BR. ledoides was met with by Mr. Forrest in 1913, at about 
13,000 feet above sea-level, on the mountains to the 
- north-east of the Yangtze bend, in Lat. 27° 45’ N., 
_ Janvary-Marca, 1920. 
