Tab. 8649. 



RHODODENDRON hypoglattcum. 



Western China. 



Ericaceae. Tribe Rhodoreae. 

 Rhododendron, Linn. ; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant, vol. ii. p. 599. 



Rhododendron hypoglaueum, Hemsl. in Journ. Linn. Soc. vol. xxvi. p. 25 

 (1889) ; Diels in Engl. Bot. Jahrb. Vol. xxix. p. 512 (1900) ; Bean in Flora 

 & Sylva, vol. iii. p. 164 (1905) ; Hemsl. d E. H. Wilt, in Kew Bull. 1910, 

 p. Ill ; Pampanini in Nuov. Giorn. Bot. Ital. ser. nuov. vol. xvii. p. 683 

 (1910) ; Behder & Wilson in Sargent, Plant. Wilson, pars i. p. 527 (1913) ; 

 affinis B. argijropJiyllo, Franch., sed foliis plerumque latioribus filamentis 

 minus et breviter pubescentibus differt. 



Frutex magnus vel arbor usque ad 6 m. alta ; ramuli juniores intense virides, 

 primum minute nigro-puberuli, demum glabri. Folia sempervirentia, 

 oblongo-oblanceolata vel oblongo-elliptica, apice subtriangulari-acu- 

 minata, conspicue cartilagineo-mucronata, ad basin subacutum sensim 

 angustata, 7-11 cm. longa, 2-4 cm. lata, rigide coriacea, snpra viridia, infra 

 indumento piano farinoso conspicue albo-glauca: costa media supra 

 angusta, leviter impressa, infra prominens, basi circiter 2 mm. lata, ad 

 apicem sensim angustata ; nervi laterales plerumque inconspicui, utrinsecus 

 circiter 11, a costa sub angulo lato abeuntes, prope marginem flexuosi et 

 ramosi ; petioli 1 ' 5-2 cm. longi, sicco verruculosi. Inflorescentia terminalis, 

 4-7-flora ; perulae oblongo-lanceolatae, membranaceae, ad 2 cm. longae ; 

 bracteae filiformes, dense pubescentes, pedicellis dimidio breviores ; pedi- 

 celli 2*5-4 cm. longi, breviter pubescentes, rubescentes. Calyx minimus, 

 lobatus, glanduloso-puberulus. Corqlla 4-4*5 cm. longa, 4 '5-5 cm. 

 diametro, extra roseo-alba, intus dorso carmineo-maculata ; tubus turbinato- 

 campanulatus, 2 cm. longus, extra glaber, intus glaber vel parce pubescens ; 

 lobi late ovati, apice rofcundati, circiter 1*5 cm. longi et 2 cm. lati. 

 Stamina 10, leviter exserta ; filamenta inferne brevissime pubescentia ; 

 antherae pallide rubrae, 3 mm. longae. Ovarium sulcatum, fere glabrum ; 

 stylus exsertus, glaber, in stigmate truncato sensim expansus. Fructu* 

 curvatus, durus, l*5-2'5 cm. longus, 5 mm. diametro, arete verruculosus. 

 — R. gracilipes, Franch. in Journ. de Bot. vol. ix. p. 391 (1895). 

 -R. chionophyllum, Diels in Engl. Bot. Jahrb. vol. xxix. p. 512 (1900). — 

 J. Hutchinson. 



The fine Rhododendron here described is a member of 

 the section Eurhododendron which is exceedingly plentiful 

 in Western Hupeh, where it was first collected by 

 Mr. A. Henry in 1886 in the neighbourhood of Ichang. 

 During his Chinese journeys it was on several occasions 

 collected by Mr. E. H. Wilson, and in one of his field- 

 notes it is recorded that this form may attain a height 

 of twenty feet. Though E. hypoglaueum has been 



February, 1916. 



