1924) WILSON, THE RHODODENDRONS OF HUPEH 97 



calyx, seeds shining brown, oblong, flattened, 4-6 mm. long, immersed 

 in a broad wing. 



This common species in Hupeh is well distinguished from others by 

 being everywhere glabrous, by its small, membranous, undulate persistent 

 calyx and by its gland-dotted pistil. It is plentiful in the woodlands 

 between elevations of from 4500 to 7000 ft. everywhere in western Hupeh 

 and eastern Szechuan to the edge of the Red Basin. A robust plant of 

 good habit it is usually a bush from 10 to 12 ft. high and as much or 

 more in diameter but often these dimensions reach 20 ft. The foliage 

 is bold and leathery and the contrast between the purple petioles, the 

 dark green upper surface and pallid under surface of the leaves is pleasing. 

 The flowers are large, usually more or less pink in the bud and becoming 

 pure white when fully exposed, fragrant and compacted into a fine rounded 

 truss. It opens its flowers and commences to grow late in June and on 

 this account is of exceptional value, a fact fully appreciated by those who 

 have this species growing in their gardens. 



This Rhododendron was discovered in the neighborhood of Tchen- 

 keou-ting by Pere P. Farges between 1891 and 1894; it was introduced 

 into gardens by means of seeds (Nos. 885, 855b) sent by me to Messrs. 

 Veitch in the autumn of 1900. In 1907 I sent seeds to the Arnold Arbore- 

 tum and these were distributed far and wide. It flowered for the first time 

 in cultivation at Coombe Wood in June, 1911. In gardens this Rhododen- 

 dron has proved very amenable, flowers in June and early July, and by 

 many is considered one of the finest of the Chinese species. 



In 1902, before I knew the identity of this Rhododendron I suggested 

 to Messrs. Veitch that it be named "R. Kirkii" after my friend Dr. 

 William Kirk, then of the Chinese Imperial Maritime Customs Service 

 and stationed at Ichang. Later plants were distributed under this un- 

 published name and, unfortunately, a good deal of confusion has been 

 quite innocently caused. The typical form has pale pink passing to pure 

 white flowers. There is, however, a good pink form and this may be 

 distinguished as: 



Rhododendron discolor f. carneum Wilson, n. forma. 



There is a hybrid of R. discolor X R. catawbiense X ? which has been 



named : 



X Rhododendron holmleaense Rehder in Jour. Arnold Arb. in. 48 



(1922). 



This was raised in 1915 in the gardens of Professor Sargent, Holmlea, 

 Brookline, Mass., where it flowered for the first time in 1921. It is a valu- 

 able hybrid but unfortunately precariously hardy in Massachusetts. 



Another hybrid, the result of crossing the garden Rhododendron 

 "Konigin Carola" and R. discolor has been named: 



X Rhododendron konigdis Magor in Rhod. Soc. Not. n. 121 (1922). 

 The flowers are described as lilac-white, deeper in the bud, 8-lobed, 



