Tas. 8775. 
RHODODENDRON oRBICULARE. 
Szechuan. 
EricacEag. Tribe RHODOREAE. 
Ruopopenpron, Linn.; Benth. et Hook. f. Gen. Plant. vol. ii. p. 599. 
Rhododendron orbiculare, Decne in Fl. des Serres, vol. xxii. p. 169 (1877); 
Hemsl. et E. H. Wils. in Kew Bull. 1910, p. 108; Rehd. et E. H. Wils. 
in Sargent, Plant. Wils. vol. i. p. 540; Millais, Rhedod. p. 221; 
species R. Fargesii, Franch., affinis foliis plerumque suborbicularibus basi 
profunde cordatis petiolis multo longioribus apte tamen distinguenda. 
Frutex usque ad 8 m. altus; ramuli robusti, nitidi, glabri, apicem versus laxe 
foliati; gemmae axillares anguste ovoideae, obtusae vel subacutae, glabrae. 
Folia elliptica vel elliptico-orbicularia, apice interdum leviter emarginata 
vel mucronulata, basi profunde cordata lobis imbricatis, 5-10 cm. longa, 
3°5-7 cm. lata, coriacea, glabra, supra viridia, infra glauca et delicate 
reticulata; costa supra plana, infra valde conspicua, basi circiter 2°5 mm, 
lata, apicem versus angustissima ; nervi laterales utrinsecus circiter 10, 
graciles, marginem versus ramulosi, infra inconspicui ; petioli robusti, fere 
teretes, usque ad 6 cm. longi, nitidi, glabri. Injflorescentra terminalis, 
laxa, circiter 10-flora. Flores nutantes, roseo-carminei ; pedicelli 2°5-3°5 
em. longi, glabri. Calyz parvus, breviter lobatus, lobis margine glandulosis. 
Corolla late campanulata, elepidota; tubus 3 cm. longus, apice 3°5 cm. 
diametro; lobi 7, suberecti. vel patuli, breves, late emarginati. Stamina 
circiter 13, inaequalia, tubo leviter longiora ; filamenta glabra, albida; 
antherae atro-brunneae, 2°5 mm. longa. Ovariwm 7-loculare, glandulis 
subsessilibus ornatum; stylus brevissime exsertus, glaber.—R. rotundt- 
folium, David in Journ. As. Soc, N. China Br. vol, vii. p. 216 (1873) 
nomen; Franch. Pl. David. vol. ii. p. 85 (1888) ; Schneider, Ill. Handb. 
Laubholzk. vol. ii. p. 483, fig. 821a (1909) ; Bean, Trees and Shrubs Brit. 
Isles, vol. ii. p: 877 (1914).—J. Hurcuinson. 
The very distinct Rhododendron now figured is a native 
of Western Szechuan, where it occurs at altitudes of 
9,000—10,000 feet above sea level. It was first collected 
near Moupine, in 1869, by the Abbé David who, noting 
it as remarkable for its rounded leaves, used for it the 
name &. rotundifolium published, but without a full 
description, in 1873. In 1877 Professor Decaisne sup- 
plied an account of the plant under the name R. orbiculare, 
and although the late Mr. Franchet took up the Abbe’s 
OocroBER-DECEMBER, 1918, 
