Tas. 8747. 
RHODODENDRON prostrRatuM. 
Yunnan, 
ERIcACEAE. Tribe RHODOREAE. 
RuHopopenpkron, Linn.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant. vol. ii. p. 599. 
- 
Rhododendron prostratum, W. W. Smith in Notes Roy. Bot. Gard. Edinb. 
vol. viii. p. 202 (1914); affinis R. nivali, Hook. f., et R. Websteriano, 
Rehd. et E. H. Wils., ab illo foliis ciliatis, pedicellis dense albido-villosis, 
ab hoc habitu prostrato floribus pedicellatis differt. 
Fruticulus usque ad 10 cm. altus, rami numerosi, prostrati, vetustiores brunnei 
vel cinerei, juniores pallide virides, pilis debilibus albidis eglandulosis 
densiusculis ornati; ramuli juniores 2-2°5 em. longi, cum ramulis annotinis 
laxe foliati, dense cinereo-lepidoti. Folia oblongo-elliptica, apice obtusa 
vel rotundata, conspicue mucronata, basi late obtusa vel rotundata, 1°5-2 
cm. longa, 0°6-1 em. lata, tenuiter coriacea, margine revoluto primum pilis 
debilibus albidis longe ciliato demum fere glabro, supra nitida, viridia, 
glabra, infra squamulis parvis contiguis albidis demum pallide brunneis 
dense obtecta ; costa media supra impressa, infra elevata, parce lepidota ; 
nervi laterales supra conspicui, utrinsecus circiter 6, infra evanidi ; petioli 
2°5 mm. longi, parce lepidoti et setosi. Flores in umbellam terminalem 
1-3-floram dispositi; perulae exteriores oblongo-lanceolatae, apice sub- 
foliaceae, mucronatae, circiter 7 mm. longae, brunneae, extra hispido- 
pubescentes, interiores obovatae vel oblanceolatae, acute et abrupte 
caudato-mucronatae, dorso carinatae et parce pubescentes; pedicelli 
subcernui, 2 cm. longi, dense albido-villosi et minute lepidoti. Calyx 
magnus, flavo-viridis, ad basin 5-lobatus; lobi_ basi conspicue imbricati, 
late obovato-rotundati, 8 mm. longi, 6-7 mm. lati, extra glabri, margine 
parce ciliati. Corolla perlate infundibuliformis, coccineo-violacea, limbo 
patulo dorso rubro-maculato ; tubus vix 1 cm, longus, utrinque molliter 
pubescens; lobi 5, ovato-rotundati, basi late auriculati, 1:5 em. longi, 
1:5-1°8 em. lati, extra parce pubescentes, haud lepidoti. Stamia 9-10, 
corollae tubo longiora; filamenta violacea, usque ad 1:3 cm. longa, apice 
incurva, prope basin dense villosa; antherae atro-brunneae, 2°5 min. 
longae. Ovariwm minute et dense lepidotum, 3 mm. longum; stylus 
rubescens, glaber, corolla aequalis, stamina multo superans, stigmate 
rubro-brunneo capitato coronatus.—J. HuTcHINson. 
The dwarf Rhododendron here figured is a native of 
Yunnan, where it was discovered in June, 1910, by 
Mr. G. Forrest, as a prostrate shrub 24 inches high, 
trailing over rocks and on moist peaty soil almost at — 
the limit of vegetation, on the .eastern flank of the 
Likiang Range at elevations of 15,000-16,000 feet. 
Jan.-Marca, 1918, 
