1924] WILSON, THE RHODODENDRONS OF HUPEH 99 



Rhododendrons and is unique in the lateness of opening its flowers and 

 in commencing the season's growth. In a wild state this species opens 

 its flowers in late July or early in August but under cultivation this is 

 sometimes delayed even into September. On the young growth the lower 

 part is furnished with crimson, very glandular scale-leaves which are a 

 conspicuous and attractive feature. The leaves are large and handsome, 

 being sometimes fully a foot long and five inches wide. The flowers each 

 S to 4 inches long and nearly as wide are pleasantly fragrant. 



The species grows mainly in copses and woods where deciduous Oaks 

 predominate at elevations between 5000 and 7000 ft. but is nowhere 

 common. I have seen specimens growing in districts as far apart as 

 Changyang in the south and Fang in the north but only once, and that 

 in 1900, did I collect it in flower and fruit. The plant .is more plentiful 

 scattered through the wooded country round the hamlet of Kuan Pao 

 on the border of Patung and Changyang districts than elsewhere so far 

 as my knowledge goes. This is the type locality and it was here that I 

 gathered the seeds. It is an arborescent shrub of excellent habit being 

 sometimes 20 ft. tall and even more through the crown though usually 

 its dimensions are round about 12 ft. The plant everywhere favors cool 

 situations where the soil is rich in humus and where it is sheltered from 



strong winds. 



This fine Rhododendron was discovered in 1885 by A. Henry on the 

 mountains round Kuan Pao; it was introduced into cultivation by myself 

 in 1900 by means of seeds (No. 920) collected in November and sent to 

 Messrs. Veitch. A large number of seedlings were raised of which one 

 hundred were planted out in Coombe Wood nursery and later distributed 

 among British gardens where there are now growing many fine specimens. 

 The best plants in cultivation are those at Caerhays where it flowered 

 for the first time in September, 1912. Since that date it has flowered 

 in many gardens and is well-known and esteemed one of the grandest of 

 all Rhododendrons. The late-flowering character is of great importance 

 and in the hands of hybridizers may lead to the evolving of a race of late 

 August and September flowering Rhododendrons. At Caerhays Castle 

 it has been crossed with R. decorum Franch. and according to Millais 

 (Rhodod. 125 [1917] ) the plants in 1915, their third season, showed 70 

 per cent R. auriculatum in the cross. At Kew according to Bean (in 

 Rhod. Soc. Not. I. 193 [1918) ) this species has been crossed with R. 

 ponticum Linn. Probably other attempts to hybridize it have been 

 made and the results of these experiments will be watched for with great 



interest. 



The form most usually seen wild and the only one that has flowered 



under cultivation has white flowers. There is, however, a wild form 



with rose-pink blossoms which may be distinguished as 



Rhododendron auriculatum f. roseum Wilson, n. fo 



