76 CLIMATE AND VEGETATION OK 



of tlie country into zones, each inhabited by a different vegetation 

 of Rhododendrons and other phmts. vSome more general descrip- 

 tion of the species, with remarks on their appearance, habits, and 

 relations to soil, climate, &c., will naturally be brought in there ; 

 and I shall conclude with a raliier minute account of the climate, 

 temperature, &c., of tiie tliree zones of the Himalaya, which may 

 be termed Temperate, Alpine, and Arctic, and wliich are best 

 defined by the limits attained by ConifercB and Rhododendrons. 



Synopsis of Species. 



§ I. Calyx 0. Corolla broadly bell-shaped, 10-lobed. Stamens 

 18 to 20 (rarely 10). Ovary usually hairy or viscid, or 

 both, many celled. — Trees with large leaves, and white or 

 pale coloured densely clustered flowers. 



1. R. Falconeri — a tree; leaves very large and coriaceous, 

 obovate or oblong, blunt, on very stout leaf-stalks, smooth, 

 shining above, with sunk netted veins, below covered with thick 

 rusty down ; flower-stalks viscid ; flowers white, in dense heads ; 

 stamens 16; style thick, with a club-shaped broad stigma. — 

 Sikkim Rhod., PI. X. 



2. R. argenteum — a tree ; leaves very large, obovate, oblong, 

 sharp, narrowed into the thick leaf-stalk, quite smooth on both 

 sides, silvery below; heads ratlier loose, 10-flowered ; flower- 

 stalks short, downy ; flowers white, broadly bell-sliaped ; stamens 

 10; ovary downy, about 16-celled. — Sikkim Rhod., PL IX. 



3. R, Hodgsoni — a large bush ; leaves broad, elliptical, obo- 

 vate or oblong, on stout leaf-stalks, sometimes heart-shaped at 

 the base, smooth and shining above, somewhat silvery below, with 

 closely appressed down; heads 15 to 30 flowered ; flower-stalks 

 short, downy ; flowers broadly bell-shaped, 8 to 10 lobed, pale 

 purple; stamens 16 to 18; ovary downy, 16-celled. — Sikkim 

 Rhod., PI. XV. 



§ II. Calyx cup-shaped, more or less broad and deep, veiy ob- 

 scurely lobed. Corolla 5-lobed. Stamens 10 to 16. Ovary 

 6 to 16 celled. — Shrubs with large flowers, and quite smooth 

 leaves. 



4. R. Griffithii, Wight (R. Aucklandii, Sikkim Rhod., PI. 

 XI.) — leaves on rather long foot-stalks, oval, oblong, sharp, 

 somewhat cordate at the base, quite smooth on both sides ; 

 flowers few, on long foot-stalks ; calyx a broad open disc, un- 

 equallv 5-lobed ; corolla white, with a broad tube, and 5 very 



