1924) WILSON, THE RHODODENDRONS OF HUPEH 101 



to the sun. 



7500 



ft. and in northwestern Szechuan from 6000 to 9000 ft. Usually it is a 

 much branched shrub of moderate size but frequently it is from 15 to 20 

 ft. tall and as much in diameter. The plants vary considerably in degree 

 of hairiness but the pilose or villose midrib on the under surface of the leaf 

 is a ready means of distinguishing R. Augustinii from all other related 

 species. The fascicles are usually terminal and 3-flowered but on vigorous 

 shoots often 6 flowers occur in each and lateral fascicles may also be present. 

 The flowers vary in color from pale purple through deep rosy purple to 

 lavender- and blue-purple, on some plants they are white. Some of the 

 color forms, especially those bordering on blue, are very lovely. The 

 species is very free-flowering and in a wild state blossoms during the 



month of May. 



This Rhododendron was discovered in Patung district during 1886 



by Augustine Henry whose Christian name it worthily bears. It was 

 introduced into cultivation by Pere P. Farges who, in 1899, sent seeds to 

 M. Maurice de Vilmorin at Les Barres where a plant flowered for the first 

 time in 1902. In 1900 from the Changyang district I sent seed (Nos. 

 517, 598) in quantity to Messrs. Veitch and in 1907 and 1908 from various 

 localities in Hupeh and Szechuan to the Arnold Arboretum and all or 

 nearly all the plants in British gardens are from these sources. This 

 Rhododendron is now well established in many English gardens where it 

 flowers freely each year and has won for itself a host of admirers. 



In the most common color forms the flowers are shades of pale to rosy 

 purple and this may be regarded as the type of the species. 



The form with lavender- to blue-purple flowers may be distinguished 



as: 



Rhododendron 



This Rhododendron is found mixed with the type throughout its 

 distribution. Some fine forms have been raised from my seed No. 4238 

 collected in Wen-ch'uan district of northwest Szechuan in October, 1910. 

 It is now well known in gardens where it is esteemed one of the loveliest 



of all. 



A form with white flowers and less common than others is: 



Rhododendron Augustinii f. album Wilson, n. forma. 



In the Rhodod. Soc. Not. n. 69 (1921) Magor tells of a hybrid between 

 R. oreostrephes W. W. Smith X 4238 W. (R. Augustinii f. violascens). 

 He describes the flowers as "five in a truss, palest light lilac (violet de 

 cobalt) with a few spots of greenish brown on the upper segment, very 

 broadly campanulate l 3 /io X 2>£ inches." 



Rhododendron yanthinum Bureau & Franchet in Jour, de ] 

 (1891).— Rehder & Wilson in Sargent, PI. Wilson. I. 518 (1913 

 Trees & Shrubs Brit. Isles, n. 386 (1914).— Rehder in Bailey, Stand. 

 Cycl. Hort. v. 2938 (1916).— Millais, Rhodod. 264 (1917).— Mottet in 

 Rev. Hort. 1917, 348, t. 



Bean 



