LAB. BIG 
RHODODENDRON arGyrRoPruyLLuM, var. LEIANDRUM. 
Western Szechuan, 
EricacKak. Tribe RHOpDOREAE. 
Ruopopenpron, Linn.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant. vol. ii. p. 599. 
Rhododendron (§ Eurhododendron) argyrophyllum, Franch. in Bull. Soc. 
Bot. France, vol. xxxiii. p. 231 (1886), et in Newv, Arch. Mus. Paris, sér 2, 
vol. x. p. 48 (Pl. David. vol. ii. p. 86); Hemsl. et EH. H. Wils. in Kew 
Bull, 1910, p. 111; Rehd. et E. H. Wils. in Sargent, Pl. Wilson. vol. i. 
p- 526 (1913); var. leiandrum, Hutchinson, varietas nova, a planta 
typica filamentis glabris differt. 
Frutex; ramuli annotini parce foliati, glabri, hornotini farinaceo-puberuli. 
Folia oblonga vel oblongo-elliptica, basi rotundata, apice obtusa vel 
subacuta, 8-12 cm. longa, 2°5-4 cm. lata, rigide coriacea, supra viridia, 
_mox glabra, infra costa excepta indumento farinaceo albido omnino 
obtecta; nervi laterales utrinsecus circiter 10, supra leviter impressi, infra 
inconspicui; petioli circiter 1 em. longi, glabri. Flores in racemos breves 
terminales laxe dispositi; axis 1°5-2 em. longus, parce pubescens ; pedicelli 
graciles, 2 cm. longi, breviter crispate-puberuli. Calyx parvus, 5-lobus, 
lobis late ovatis obtusis usque ad 1°25 mm. longis fere glabris. Corolla 
rosea, tubuloso-campanulata, 3°5 cm. longa, glabra, limbo circiter 4 em. 
diametro ; lobi 5, late ovati, leviter emarg.nati. Stamina 10, corollae tubo 
vix aequilonga ; filamenta glabra; antherae nigrescentes, parvae, Ovariwne 
8-loculare, pilis brevibus albis dense obtectum; stylus paullo exsertus, 
1-5 cm. longus, glaber, stigmate discoideo viride 5 mm. diametro coronatus. 
Fructus haud visus.—J. Hurcuison. 
According to Messrs. Rehder and Wilson Rhododendron 
argyrophyllum, Franch., “is one of the commonest species 
in Western Szechuan and shows much variation.” The 
material of this species in the Kew herbarium bears out 
this statement. But the variations are confined to 
single organs and are somewhat inconspicuous. They 
are simple morphological fluctuations, readily recognis- 
able, but not of specific importance. The authors cited 
have accorded the rank of varieties to two of these 
fluctuations: cupulare, with rather smaller cup-shaped 
flowers; and vmeiense, with slender drooping pedicels 
and a rather darker indumentum on the leaves beneath. 
Both of these varieties agree with Mr. Franchet’s 
JuLy-SEepremper, 1918. 
